New Zealand have been dealt a heavy blow ahead of the Chappell-Hadley T20 series against Australia, with Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, and Finn Allen all ruled out.
Fast bowler O’Rourke has suffered a stress fracture in his lower back and faces at least three months on the sidelines after being injured during the first Test against Zimbabwe earlier this month. The 24-year-old will miss upcoming series against Australia, England, and the West Indies as he undergoes rehabilitation.
Adding to New Zealand’s troubles, Phillips is out with a groin injury, while Allen will also be unavailable for three months following foot surgery. Both have been key figures in the T20 batting lineup, leaving coach Rob Walter to admit the timing of the setbacks is “very disappointing.”
Meanwhile, captain Mitchell Santner is still under fitness watch after recent abdominal surgery and groin pain forced him to withdraw from The Hundred. Selectors are expected to name him in the squad but will closely monitor his recovery before the Australia series, which begins October 1.
