Mumbai: All-rounder James Neesham has been ruled out of the second Test as well, that’ll commence from September 30 due to his persisting rib injury, as said on Wednesday.
Jimmy wasn’t a part of the matches that took place in Kanpur. They’re expecting him to be fit by the last leg of the tour.
It’s a bad time for the Kiwis, as an injured Mark Craig’s replacement, veteran offspinner Jeetan Patel’s flight was cancelled and will now arrive only after midnight of Wednesday. This will roughly give him 24-hours to ease into the position of the third spinner in the team of New Zealand.
“Unfortunately his flight from England got cancelled as he has boarded another flight and will arrive late tonight,” NZ media manager told PTI regarding the seasoned spinner.
Jimmy, who suffered the rib injury batting in the nets of Delhi, is accompanied by Tim Southee, who injured his ankle even before the three-day warm-up game in Delhi and will also sit out this Test. Craig suffered a side strain bowling in the second innings of the Kanpur Test.
“Jimmy Neesham’s injury will rule him out of at least this Test,” coach Mike Hesson confirmed. “That takes away options in terms of changing our balance a bit. But that’s okay. We are not able to get any replacement in time who is a batting allrounder. Unfortunately, we have got a few other injuries at home as well, which makes that really challenging.”
Further monitoring the recovery, NZ team media said, “At present he’s not fit for the Kolkata Test. But we are monitoring his recovery constantly and at the moment can’t say whether he would be out for the entire series. We will take a call on him before the third Test (in Indore)”.
“We are not able to get any replacement in time who is a batting allrounder. Unfortunately, we have got a few other injuries at home as well, which makes that really challenging,” he sadly added.
The much anticipated three-spin attack is at its making, coach Hesson hinted where the ball stayed low and slow with a reasonable amount of turn during the T20 World Cup.
“It’s going to be hot and humid again and the pitch will deteriorate pretty quickly,” Hesson said.
“A lot of (spin bowling) is about the pace you bowl. In New Zealand, because the wickets don’t turn, we try to beat batsmen in the air. They don’t even contemplate that here –they try to beat you off the wicket. And if you are unable to score runs, they create more pressure by putting more and more fielders around the bat.”
Hesson did not say much about the opener Martin Guptill, who is out of form scoring 21 and 0, except to say he was in a “really good frame of mind and it’s important we keep it that way”.
He added an optimistic note by saying, “We are not smacking each other over and talking about all the bad things. We got confidence from large parts of the Test.”
The practice session for the black caps will commence tomorrow afternoon, as they take rest today.
It’s crucial to win in this match, in order to save the three match series, having received the opening blow off 197 runs.