New Zealand’s bowling stocks have taken another hit, with fast bowler Lockie Ferguson ruled out for the rest of the T20I series against India after suffering a low-grade right-calf tear. Ferguson picked up the injury during the second T20I and needs about another week out, with Matt Fisher added to the squad as cover. The news compounds an already difficult series for the hosts, who are 3-0 down with two matches to play and were already without Matt Henry.
A depleted attack
Losing Ferguson robs New Zealand of genuine pace and experience at a time when their bowlers have struggled badly against India’s explosive top order. The visitors smashed a record 118 runs in the powerplay in Wellington, and the hosts have found no answers to Abhishek Sharma and company. Fisher’s call-up gives the selectors a fresh option, but the 27-year-old faces a baptism of fire if he is thrown in against a batting line-up in this kind of form, in front of a sell-out Eden Park crowd on Friday.
Series context
India lead the five-match series 3-0, and the fourth T20I at Eden Park is expected to draw a crowd of around 40,000 — the third-biggest attendance in the venue’s history. For New Zealand, the remaining matches are now about pride, development and finding combinations that can compete when the sides meet again. Ferguson’s absence also raises questions about his workload management, with a busy international calendar ahead. For now, though, the immediate concern is simpler: how does a depleted New Zealand attack stop an Indian batting machine that shows no signs of slowing down?
See also: India Eye 4-0 T20I Lead Over Depleted New Zealand in Auckland
