India ODI tour of New Zealand postponed

THE Indian cricket team’s upcoming tour of New Zealand featuring three one-day internationals (ODIs) has been postponed due to Covid-19-induced travel restrictions and a packed schedule of New Zealand Cricket (NZC), the country's cricket-governing body.

According to New Zealand’s stuff.co.nz, a spokesperson of NZC confirmed that India will now tour New Zealand in late 2022 after the conclusion of the T20 World Cup in Australia. Also, New Zealand will host the women’s T20 World Cup in March next year.

“We’ve got to be mindful of players coming back from a long winter and we've got to give them time at home as well,” stuff.co.nz quoted NZC chief executive David White as saying.

The Kiwis are scheduled to tour India this November for two Tests and three T20s, right after the conclusion of the T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates and Oman.

New Zealand bowling coach Shane Jurgensen is set to stay with the team for the full tour of India later this year rather than returning to the country following the T20 series as was planned initially.

“The rearrangement of Jurgensen's winter touring commitments came about after his scheduled departure on Friday was delayed as a result of visa complications caused by the recent nationwide lockdown,” NZC said in a statement on Monday (13).

NZC said Jurgensen was supposed to link up with the current New Zealand squad in Pakistan to take over the reins for the five-game T20I series starting in Lahore next weekend.

Instead, he will now depart directly for the ICC T20 World Cup starting in October, alongside regular New Zealand coaches Gary Stead and Luke Ronchi.