Kane Williamson is sitting out of T20I series against India, which begins with the first match at Jaipur on Wednesday.
The New Zealand captain Kane Williamson will instead focus on the following Test series that starts on November 25 in Kanpur.
The New Zealand cricket board announced the T20I squad for the series in India on Monday with senior fast bowler Tim Southee named the captain for the opening game on November 17.
“BLACKCAPS captain Kane Williamson will miss this week’s three-game T20 series against India as he prioritises preparing for the Test series starting on November 25 in Kanpur,” NZC said in a statement.
“With the opening game of the T20 series on Wednesday evening, followed by games on Friday and Sunday night – the decision was made for Williamson to join the Test specialist group already training in Jaipur as they focus on red-ball preparation,” the statement read.
“Tim Southee will captain the T20 side for the opening game on Wednesday, while Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, and Mitchell Santner are also available for both series. Lockie Ferguson’s recovery from a right calf-strain continues to progress well and he is expected to be available for the T20 series.”
New Zealand will play a three-match T20I series, starting on November 17, Wednesday at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.
The second T20I will be played on Friday in Ranchi, while the legendary Eden Gardens in Kolkata will host the third and final T20I on Sunday.
The T20I series will be followed by a two-match Test series, with the final match at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, starting on December 3.
The New Zealand team reached Jaipur on Monday evening following their participation in the T20 World Cup final in Dubai on Sunday.
New Zealand lost the final to Australia by eight wickets at the Dubai International Stadium in a largely one-sided affair.
Williamson was the only stand-out in the final for the Kiwis, smashing 85 off just 48 balls, but it wasn’t enough as Mitchell Marsh and David Warner took complete control of the chase and took Aussies to their first-ever men’s T20 World Cup title.
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