Rachin Ravindra Out: How New Zealand's 16-Man Squad Shifts Without Him

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-09-23

### Rachin Ravindra Sidelined: What Happened and When He Could Return Rachin Ravindra dislocated his right shoulder during a promotional photo shoot last week, and just like that, New Zealand's plans for the India T20I series took a sharp turn. The all-rounder is expected to need about six weeks of recovery, which rules him out of the five-match T20I series starting October 22 at Hagley Oval in Christchurch. The good news? Medical staff believe he'll be ready for the ODI series beginning November 4 at Eden Park in Auckland. Six weeks is a tight window, but the team isn't rushing him. "We're gutted for Rachin," said head coach Rob Walter. "He's going to play a big role for us this summer, so it's important that he doesn't rush his rehab. But we're optimistic he'll be back for the ODIs." A shoulder injury from a photo shoot? Yeah, it's a strange way to lose a key player. But freak accidents happen, and now the Black Caps have to adapt. ### Adam Milne and Michael Bracewell Return: A Boost for the Bowling Attack With Ravindra out, New Zealand needs someone to step up. Enter Adam Milne and Michael Bracewell. Both missed the T20 World Cup earlier this year due to injury, where New Zealand finished as runners-up to India. Their return adds experience and firepower. Milne's raw pace and Bracewell's spin-bowling all-round skills give the squad some much-needed depth. In total, selectors picked 13 players from that World Cup final squad. However, ankle rehabilitation rules out pace bowler Ben Sears, and young batsman Tim Robinson was omitted. Here's the full 16-man squad: - Mitchell Santner (Captain) - Finn Allen - Michael Bracewell - Mark Chapman - Devon Conway - Jacob Duffy - Lockie Ferguson - Zak Foulkes - Matt Henry - Bevon Jacobs - Kyle Jamieson - Adam Milne - Daryl Mitchell - Glenn Phillips - Tim Seifert - Nathan Smith That's a balanced mix of seasoned pros and fresh faces. ### Experienced Pace Attack Leads the Charge Coach Walter and the selectors clearly value pace. Seven seam bowlers made the cut, including veterans Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, and Jacob Duffy. Young guns Zak Foulkes and Nathan Smith round out the seam unit. Why so many fast bowlers? Workload management. "Our priority is winning games and putting the best team on the park," Walter explained. "But we also have to keep in mind the volume of cricket in the coming months. We'll look to use all 16 squad members throughout the series as we manage workloads." Translation: expect rotation. With a busy schedule ahead, keeping bowlers fresh is crucial. It also gives younger players a chance to prove themselves on the international stage. ### Batting Lineup: Bevon Jacobs Earns His Spot In the batting department, middle-order player Bevon Jacobs earns selection after an unbeaten 62 in his last T20 match against Bangladesh. He's joined by proven internationals Devon Conway, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, and Glenn Phillips. That's a solid core of hitters who can change a game in an over. But the real excitement? The return of Tim Seifert and Finn Allen at the top of the order. The duo hasn't opened together since the T20 World Cup, where Allen smashed an unbeaten century off just 33 balls against South Africa in the semi-finals. Seifert hit 58 off 33 balls in a nine-wicket win during that same tournament. Seifert comes into this series fresh off winning Player of the Tournament in The Hundred in England, where he scored 394 runs at a strike rate of 168. That kind of form is exactly what New Zealand needs. ### What This Means for the India Series Losing Ravindra hurts, no doubt. He's a versatile player who can bat, bowl, and field. But the Black Caps have depth, and the return of Milne and Bracewell softens the blow. The pace attack looks strong, the batting lineup has firepower, and the opening pair of Seifert and Allen could be explosive. The five-match T20I series against India starts October 22 at Hagley Oval. It's a chance for new combinations to shine and for players to stake their claim ahead of the ODI series and beyond. Will Ravindra's absence be felt? Probably. But this squad has enough talent to make it interesting. Keep an eye on how Walter manages his bowlers. With seven seamers, someone's always ready to step in. And if Seifert and Allen get going, India's bowlers could be in for a long series.