Injuries to frontline fast bowlers have forced New Zealand to opt for fresh blood in their pace attack for the three-match ODI series against India starting February 5 in Hamilton. Kyle Jamieson could be in for a potential debut, while Scott Kuggeleijn and Hamish Bennett return to the squad after a long absence. Injury has meant the likes of Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson and Matt Henry are unavailable for the series.
Senior New Zealand opener Martin Guptill was ruled out of the three-match series after failing to recover from a back injury.
Indian openers have not replicated the kind of starts the Indian batting has grown accustomed to from its top-order.
New Zealand, who made 249 in the first innings, were undone by the Sri Lankan spinners in their second spell as well.
Birthday boy Ross Taylor rode his luck to good effect and scored a spectacular 131 not out as New Zealand registered a comprehensive 110-run win over Pakistan in the World Cup Group A encounter in Pallekele (Kandy) on Tuesday.
Some of their bowling and fielding frailties exposed in the series-opener, India will aim for quick course correction when they take on a resurgent New Zealand in a must-win second ODI, in Auckland, on Saturday. India find themselves in a familiar situation after the loss in Hamilton. But the visitors have come from behind against the West Indies and Australia to win their last two ODI series and Virat Kohli's men will aim to do the same against the Kiwis.
Neesham replaced Doug Bracewell in the team while leg-spinner Ish Sodhi made way for Astle.
With all-rounder Cameron White choosing Royal Challengers Bangalore, the Victoria Bushrangers will now be captained by David Hussey in the Champions League T20 cricket tournament starting September 10 in South Africa.
Half-centuries from Ross Taylor and Scott Styris guided New Zealand to a thumping 200 run-victory over India in the opening match of the one-day tri-series in Dambulla on Tuesday.
India recorded their biggest defeat to New Zealand in terms of runs, surpassing the 108-run loss at Dunedin on March 1, 1990.
New Zealand sought to put behind their dismal record of losing 14 of their last 17 ODIs coming into the World Cup, saying that they are still a strong side capable of winning the coveted trophy.
Jasprit Bumrah produced a master-class in limited-overs bowling to lead India to a seven-run victory over New Zealand in their fifth Twenty20 international. Images from the fifth T20I at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui.
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) has indicated they will exercise their right to select Ross Taylor in their 15-man Champions League squad, which would prove to be an unexpected windfall for New Zealand Cricket.
Rohit Sharma belted two sixes off the final two deliveries of a Super Over to give India victory in a thrilling finish in the third Twenty20 international against New Zealand at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Wednesday and clinch the series with two games to spare. Images from the third T20 between India and New Zealand, at Hamilton, on Wednesday.
India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin struck three early blows to put the hosts on course for a series-clinching victory against New Zealand in the second and final Test at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday.
New Zealand wrapped up a record innings and 134-run victory over West Indies before lunch on the fourth day of the first Test in Hamilton on Sunday after finally breaking a rearguard action from Jermaine Blackwood and Alzarri Joseph.
New Zealand's stand-in skipper Ross Taylor was disappointed after the Black Caps crashed to their seventh consecutive One-day International defeats in Guwahati, but hoped to get their act together before the forthcoming World Cup in February.
Kane Williamson finished the day 97 not out - approaching his 21st Test century - with Ross Taylor 31 not out and the home team 243-2 .
Ross Taylor smashed a quickfire unbeaten 47 as Rajasthan Royals thumped Pune Warriors by six wickets in a thrilling encounter to jump to the top of the table in Indian Premier League in Jaipur on Sunday.
Hard-hitting New Zealander Ross Taylor on Saturday admitted Rajasthan Royals has not been up to the mark but said they would look to exploit the home conditions to bring their IPL campaign back on track on Sunday.
Half-centuries from Robin Uthappa and Rahul Dravid carried Royal Challengers Bangalore to a crushing seven-wicket victory over Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League in Bangalore, on Saturday. Dravid had put Bangalore in control with his quickfire knock of 52 from 35 balls, while Uthappa finished it off in style with a cracking innings of 52 from a mere 22 deliveries, having hit three boundaries and five sixes.
Images from Day 4 of the third Test between Australia and New Zealand in Sydney on Monday.
New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor is aware that another cheap dismissal in the second Test against Pakistan could give rise to questions about his eye condition and whether it has affected his performance.
New Zealand's highest Test and one-day runs scorer, Taylor should achieve another milestone this season by becoming the most country's most capped player.
Royal Challenger Bangalore skipper Anil Kumble held his team's batting failure for the humiliating eight-wicket defeat to South Australia in the Champions League Twenty20 Group B match in Durban.
The tension and nervousness caused during New Zealand's run chase on the final day of the ICC Word Test Championship final against India forced their star pacer Kyle Jamieson to hide inside the bathroom.
New Zealand opener Ross Taylor admitted that luck was on his side and the dropped catches were possibly his birthday gifts.
Images from the World Cup match between New Zealand and Pakistan being played at Pallekele on Tuesday.
Images from Day 3 of the first Test between India and New Zealand, at Green Park, Kanpur, on Saturday.
New Zealand skipper Ross Taylor on Monday said the tri-series in Sri Lanka would earn Black Caps some valuable experience of playing in sub-continent conditions before the 2011 World Cup.
Mohammed Shami inspired India's fightback with a superb showing with the ball, on Day 5 of the World Test Championship Final.
'Williamson, Jamieson rested from T20s as Tests key priority.'
The threat of a second successive ODI series whitewash looming large, New Zealand's star batsman Ross Taylor on Thursday said his side is in a "tough situation" against India and if the hosts continue with their dominant show, they are firm favourites to lift next year's World Cup.
Ross Taylor posted his third hundred in Tests, his first against India. His 151 off 204 balls is his best ever innings in New Zealand. His highest Test score is 154 not out against England at Manchester in May 2008 and his previous highest in New Zealand was 120 at Hamilton in March 2008.
Virat Kohli's sparkling century helped India script a 40-run win against an injury-hit New Zealand in the first One-day International to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series in Guwahati on Sunday.
Royal Challengers Bangalore thrashed Delhi Daredevils by eight wickets in Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday to ensure there is no Indian presence in the semi-finals of the inaugural Champions League Twenty20.
Ross Taylor credited Harbhajan Singh for turning the match in India's favour and said that the last hour, during which the off spinner went hammer and tongs with the bat, foiled New Zealand's plans on the third day of the second Test in Hyderabad.
Expressing satisfaction over his side's performance in the first Test at Ahmedabad, key New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor on Wednesday said his team would put up a good show against India in the second match starting in Hyderabad from Friday.
Veteran Anil Kumble showed the fire in him was still burning as he rallied Royal Challengers from a disastrous start to a runners-up finish in the second season of the IPL. The ace leg spinner was instrumental in the team's revival while veterans Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis also made notable contributions as it finished behind Deccan Chargers.
India posted a mammoth first innings score before claiming a couple of wickets to continue their domination against New Zealand, on Day 2 of the first Test, at the Sardar Patel stadium, in Motera, Ahmedabad, on Friday.
