Ravindra ruled out of India T20I series after promo shoot injury

A freak shoulder injury sustained during a promotional shoot last week has ruled star all-rounder Rachin Ravindra out of New Zealand’s high-profile five-match T20I series against India, starting October 22 in Christchurch. Head coach Rob Walter admitted the camp is "gutted" for Ravindra, who is expected to undergo a six-week rehabilitation process with an eye on returning for the ODI series beginning November 4. Key Squad Takeaways Middle-Order Call-Up: Bevon Jacobs—who boasts 11 T20I caps and an unbeaten 62 against Bangladesh in his last outing—steps in to bolster the middle order. The Pace Avalanche: Adam Milne returns to T20I cricket for the first time in over a year, headlining a massive 7-man pace contingent alongside Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, and Nathan Smith. Ben Sears misses out due to an ankle recovery. Top-Order Reunion: Casual-contract holders Finn Allen and Tim Seifert reunite at the top of the order for the first time since the T20 World Cup, leaving no room for Tim Robinson. Managing a Marathon Summer With a grueling schedule ahead—featuring four marquee Tests in Australia immediately following the India visit, followed by a home series against Sri Lanka—Walter views depth as a strategic weapon rather than a luxury. "Our priority is winning games and putting the best team on the park, but we also have to keep in mind the volume of cricket in the coming months," Walter said. "We’ll look to use all 16 squad members throughout the series as we manage workloads." New Zealand approaches the clash against the reigning T20 world champions nearly full-strength and expects sell-out crowds across Kiwi venues. New Zealand T20I Squad vs India Captain: Mitchell Santner Batting/All-rounders: Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Bevon Jacobs, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Tim Seifert Fast Bowlers: Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Adam Milne, Nathan Smith