New Zealand captain Kane Williamson will miss the Twenty20 International (T20I) series against India to focus on the following Test series that starts on November 25 in Kanpur. The New Zealand cricket board announced the T20I squad for the series in India on Monday with fast bowler Tim Southee named the captain for the opening game on November 17 in Williamson's absence. "BLACKCAPS captain Kane Williamson will miss this week's three-game T20 series against India as he prioritises preparing for the Test series starting on November 25 in Kanpur," NZC said in a statement.
"With the opening game of the T20 series on Wednesday evening, followed by games on Friday and Sunday night - the decision was made for Williamson to join the Test specialist group already training in Jaipur as they focus on red-ball preparation," the statement read.
"Tim Southee will captain the T20 side for the opening game on Wednesday, while Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, and Mitchell Santner are also available for both series. Lockie Ferguson's recovery from a right calf-strain continues to progress well and he is expected to be available for the T20 series."
New Zealand will play a three-match T20I series, starting on November 17, Wednesday at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. The second T20I will be played on Friday at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi while Eden Gardens in Kolkata will host the third and final T20I on Sunday.
The T20I series will be followed by a two-match Test series with the second match set to be played at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, starting on December 3.
The New Zealand team reached Jaipur on Monday evening following their participation in the T20 World Cup final in Dubai on Sunday. New Zealand lost the final to Australia by eight wickets at the Dubai International Stadium.
Williamson had starred for the Kiwis with the bat in the final, smashing 85 off just 48 balls but it wasn't enough as Mitchell Marsh and David Warner blasted half-centuries to guide the Aussies to their first-ever men's T20 World Cup title.
NZ T20I squad: Todd Astle, Trent Boult, Mark Chapman, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Kyle Jamieson, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee