Cricket World Cup 2023: New Zealand expect injured star spinner to be fit in time

Black Caps all-rounder Mitchell Santner had injured himself against England in the ongoing ODI series between the two countries. He had jarred his knee during the second ODI at the Ageas Bowl, and couldn’t play the next game.

Given that Ish Sodhi is being rested ahead of the Cricket World Cup, the absence of a full-time spinner became a concern for New Zealand.

The other options, Rachin Ravindra (two overs for 28 runs without a wicket) and Glenn Phillips (eight overs for 57 runs with a wicket) struggled in the third game.

Still, New Zealand head coach Gary Stead is confident about Santner’s availability.

"Mitch had a full scan on his knee, which he landed on when he took that catch in the last game at the Ageas Bowl," Stead said.

"It's coming back positively, which is good for us. He's just got quite a bit of swelling around the knee still, which they think is a joint problem. It's nothing more than that."

While Santner’s absence is a concern, Stead was happy with the return of Trent Boult. The left-arm fast bowler has picked eight wickets on his two appearances in this tour.

"It's great to have Trent back: he brings a lot of energy and a lot of skill to the top of the order for us. In the two games he has played, he has shown his ability as a world-class player to topple England."

England lead the four game ODI series against New Zealand 2-1. The sides will contest the fourth ODI at Lord’s on 15 September.