New Zealand will be without their T20 captain, Mitchell Santner, for next month’s three-match series against Australia in Mount Maunganui. The left-arm spinner has not recovered from abdominal surgery, so Michael Bracewell steps in to lead a 14-player squad that also sees Kyle Jamieson and Ben Sears return to the fast-bowling ranks.
“Never nice to lose your skipper,” New Zealand coach Rob Walter said. “But these things do happen. And Michael has already been the captain of this team and did a great job against Pakistan. So fully confident in how he will lead the team.”
Key absentees
Santner’s unavailability is not the only blow. Lockie Ferguson (hamstring) and Adam Milne (foot) have joined Will O’Rourke (back), Glenn Phillips (groin) and Finn Allen (foot) on the injury list. Kane Williamson has opted to miss the series for family reasons but is expected back for England’s visit later in the month.
With so many seamers out, Jamieson and Sears arrive at a useful time. Jamieson missed the Zimbabwe tri-series in July for the birth of his first child, while Sears was recovering from a side strain. Both are now bowling at full tilt.
“He’s worked incredibly hard over the last 12 weeks to be back on the park and done some awesome work there,” Walter noted of Sears. “So we’re excited to see him back in the competitive fold.”
A deeper fast-bowling pool has been a clear objective for Walter. “We’re building a bigger base of fast bowlers, because we understand that the programme is so busy these days, but fast bowling is a key requisite for performance. So we want to make sure we’ve got as many options as we possibly can have.”
Spin balance
Santner’s injury means Ish Sodhi keeps his spot as the primary wrist-spinner. Despite limited opportunities in Zimbabwe, Sodhi took 2 for 34 and 4 for 12 in his two outings and offers control plus the ability to turn the ball both ways—a useful skill on wearing late-season pitches in the Bay of Plenty.
Batting order
Devon Conway retains the gloves and is likely to open after signing a casual playing agreement this week alongside Williamson, Allen, Seifert and Ferguson. Tim Seifert, who partnered Conway in Zimbabwe, is again in the squad, offering a left-right combination at the top if required. Mark Chapman and Daryl Mitchell provide middle-order ballast, while James Neesham returns as the primary seam-bowling all-rounder.
Opposition strength
Australia arrive close to full strength. Only Pat Cummins (back), Nathan Ellis (paternity leave) and Cameron Green (first-class duties) are missing from their preferred XI. Mitchell Starc has retired from T20 internationals but had not played the format for Australia since the 2024 World Cup.
Walter expects an assertive contest. “[They play a] very aggressive brand, which is cool,” he said. “I think that puts you under pressure. It certainly allows us to explore a few different options as to how we want to play against them, because it seems like they are coming with a very specific way that they want to play. So it’ll be a lovely test.”
Schedule
All three matches—1, 3 and 4 October—will be staged at Bay Oval, offering New Zealand a settled base but also little time for rest between fixtures. With the T20 World Cup less than a year away, every game doubles as a selection trial.
Outlook
Bracewell’s temporary promotion is not new territory. He captained competently in Pakistan earlier this year and has six senior spinners—himself, Sodhi and four part-timers—in support. The bigger question is whether the pace group can stay intact for the full campaign.
A relatively youthful squad also gives selectors another look at fringe players before England and a busy home summer of white-ball cricket. The coaching staff are keen to avoid short-term panic despite the injury toll. After all, October cricket in Mount Maunganui tends to turn, and the Black Caps still have four spin-bowling options and a batting line-up used to rotating roles.
Injury lists are never tidy, but the broader strategy is straightforward: keep the game plan simple, give new faces clear jobs, and trust senior players such as Conway and Mitchell to anchor the side. If Jamieson’s bounce and Bracewell’s calm can translate into early wins, Santner’s absence may feel less significant by the time Australia head home.
New Zealand squad
Michael Bracewell (capt), Devon Conway (wk), Tim Seifert (wk), Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, James Neesham, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Bracewell, Ish Sodhi, Kyle Jamieson, Ben Sears, Matt Henry, Adam Milne (inj), Lockie Ferguson (inj).
Series dates
1 Oct – 1st T20I
3 Oct – 2nd T20I
4 Oct – 3rd T20I
