Mitchell Santner has been named New Zealand’s interim captain for the upcoming white-ball tour of Sri Lanka, NZC confirmed on Tuesday. Santner will lead a 15-man squad that includes maiden call-ups to bowling allrounder Nathan Smith and wicketkeeper-batter Mitchell Hay to face Sri Lanka in two T20Is and three ODIs next month. NZC also confirmed that a decision on the team’s long-term ODI and T20I captain will be taken later in the summer.
Smith, 25, was recently named the NZC’s Men’s Domestic Player of the Year at the New Zealand Cricket Awards in March, before earning his first central contract last month. Smith had claimed 24 wickets across all domestic white-ball competitions for Wellington last season, including career-best figures of 4 for 5 against Otago in the Super Smash. Hay, who made his New Zealand A debut last year, was crowned Canterbury’s Male Player of the Year back in April.
Lockie Ferguson, meanwhile, will spearhead the pace attack, comprising Smith, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, and Josh Clarkson. Tim Robinson earns his second call-up after excelling on his maiden international tour to Pakistan in April.
Michael Bracewell and Glenn Phillips are the spin-bowling allrounders in the squad, alongside Santner, while Dean Foxcroft can also offer some handy offspin. Legspinner Ish Sodhi is the most experienced T20I player in the squad, with 117 appearances.
Glenn Phillips, Will Young and Henry Nicholls provide the batting reinforcements, with Nicholls coming off an impressive Ford Trophy campaign last summer where he scored 301 runs in six games at 75.25.
Six members of the New Zealand Test squad in India have been included, and will relocate straight to Sri Lanka at the conclusion of the third Test in Mumbai. The New Zealand-based players, however, will depart for Sri Lanka on November 4 ahead of the first T20I in Dambulla on November 9. Bracewell will join the white-ball squad from New Zealand, following his return home from India this week for the birth of his second child.
Tom Blundell, Devon Conway, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Southee and Kane Williamson were not considered for selection as they prioritised the upcoming three-Test series against England, starting in Christchurch on November 28.
“This [Sri Lanka] tour is the beginning of the build-up towards the ICC Champions Trophy in February 2025 and we also have an eye towards the 2027 ODI World Cup,” chief selector Sam Wells said.
“Building depth is of critical importance due to the demands of the international schedule and the need to peak for pinnacle events.
“For that reason it’s particularly exciting to include a number of players that we believe represent the future of the Blackcaps.”
Head coach Gary Stead will lead the group alongside bowling coach Jacob Oram. Former England international James Foster, meanwhile, will rejoin New Zealand as their batting coach, as full-time batting coach Luke Ronchi heads home to focus on the start of the New Zealand home summer.
New Zealand T20I and ODI squad:
Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Josh Clarkson, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, Zak Foulkes, Dean Foxcroft, Mitch Hay (wk), Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips, Tim Robinson, Nathan Smith, Ish Sodhi, Will Young
Sri Lanka vs New Zealand series schedule
- Nov 9, 1st T20I, Dambulla
- Nov 10, 2nd T20I, Dambulla
- Nov 13, 1st ODI, Dambulla
- Nov 17, 2nd ODI, Pallekelle
- Nov 19, 3rd ODI, Pallekelle
