New Zealand will be without Ish Sodhi for the remainder of the home T20 series against South Africa after the leg-spinner broke his left thumb at training in Mount Maunganui. The injury, confirmed by scans late on Saturday, needs roughly four weeks’ rest, ruling him out of the three games still to come.
With Lockie Ferguson already scheduled to re-join the squad for matches two and three in Hamilton and Auckland, the selectors have decided not to summon a like-for-like replacement. Instead they expect Mitchell Santner and Cole McConchie to absorb the bulk of the spin overs.
Head coach Rob Walter summed up the sense of frustration and pragmatism in equal measure. “Ish is very passionate about playing for New Zealand and we know he was looking forward to turning out in front of home fans after the World Cup campaign,” head coach Rob Walter said. “He is hugely experienced in the T20 format and so will be a big miss for the remainder of the series.
“We’re confident with Lockie coming in, as well as Mitch and Cole that we have appropriate cover for the next two matches, before the squad transitions for the last two matches.”
That transition involves batters Katene Clarke and Dane Cleaver, left-arm spinner Jayden Lennox and senior wicketkeeper-batter Tom Latham, who will take the captaincy from Santner for fixtures four and five.
Losing Sodhi trims an already light spin contingent. The Bay Oval surface usually rewards slow bowlers, and the Wellingtonian’s wrist-spin, which combines drift with sharp turn, was pencilled in as a key weapon. Santner’s left-arm orthodox and McConchie’s off-spin now carry extra responsibility, with part-time options scarce.
New Zealand were skittled for 91 in the series opener, going down heavily to a South African side that looked sharper with both bat and ball. Sodhi had not yet been risked in that match. The hosts will hope the return of Ferguson’s pace and a more collective batting effort can keep the series alive before it shifts north.
Sodhi’s rehabilitation will take him close to the start of the home summer’s next block of fixtures. The medical staff are optimistic, but for now New Zealand plan without one of their most reliable T20 specialists.
