Injuries Sideline Chapman, Foulkes from New Zealand's T20I Series Against India

New Zealand will be without two key players, Mark Chapman and Zak Foulkes, for the five-match T20I series against India, scheduled from October 22 to November 1, 2026. New Zealand Cricket confirmed on October 9, 2026, that both players are unavailable due to injury. Josh Clarkson and Blair Tickner have been named as replacements, according to Crictracker and ESPN Cricinfo.

Chapman sustained a left hamstring tear while featuring in the European T20 Premier League last month. Foulkes, meanwhile, picked up a right hip flexor injury during a Canterbury training session. These injuries mean they join Rachin Ravindra on the sidelines, who was ruled out after landing awkwardly on a safety mat during a promotional shoot; Ravindra is expected to return for the ODI leg of the tour.

New Zealand coach Rob Walter expressed his disappointment regarding the injuries in a statement, saying, "I'm gutted for Mark and Zak and I wish them both a smooth recovery. We're fortunate to be able to lean on the expertise of Josh and Blair. I know they're both very excited to be involved in what's shaping up to be an epic T20 series."

Chapman's prognosis is relatively encouraging, with New Zealand Cricket confirming he is on track to be available for the ODI series against India, which runs from November 4 to November 15, 2026. This timeline suggests his hamstring tear, while serious enough to rule him out of the T20Is, is not expected to keep him sidelined for an extended period. The picture is less clear for Foulkes, as NZC noted that his 'return to play timeline is still to be determined' following the hip flexor injury, with no target date set for his comeback.

Clarkson and Tickner have been drafted in to fill the two vacancies. Both are experienced campaigners at domestic level, and their inclusion ensures New Zealand maintains depth across their pace and all-round options for the series. New Zealand's pace resources for the T20I series are considerable, with Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, and Jacob Duffy forming the core of the fast bowling group, now supplemented by Tickner. All-rounders Nathan Smith and Clarkson provide additional seam options lower in the order. Notably, Adam Milne is set to return to T20I cricket for the first time in over a year, giving the management further flexibility across the five matches.

The full New Zealand squad for the T20I series against India includes Mitchell Santner (c), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Josh Clarkson, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Bevon Jacobs, Kyle Jamieson, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Tim Seifert, Nathan Smith, and Blair Tickner.

What to watch: The performance of the replacement players in the upcoming T20I series.

Editor's note: Comprehensive and well-structured report that utilizes all details provided in the source material.