New Zealand will be without their regular white-ball skipper Mitchell Santner for the upcoming Chappell-Hadlee T20I series against Australia. Santner, who recently underwent abdominal surgery, has not recovered in time to feature in the three-match series starting October 1 in Mount Maunganui.
In his absence, Michael Bracewell will captain the BlackCaps. Bracewell has previously led New Zealand in T20Is and is confident about the challenge ahead.
Coach Rob Walter admitted Santner’s absence is a blow but backed Bracewell:
“It’s never nice to lose your skipper, but Michael has done the job before and showed great leadership. We are fully confident in how he will guide the team.”
One major positive for New Zealand is the return of pace duo Kyle Jamieson and Ben Sears. Jamieson missed the recent Zimbabwe tri-series due to the birth of his first child, while Sears was sidelined with a side strain. Their comeback strengthens the seam attack, joining Matt Henry and Jacob Duffy.
Walter praised Sears’ commitment:
“He’s worked incredibly hard over the last 12 weeks, and it’s great to see him back fully fit. Building a bigger base of fast bowlers is crucial for us given the busy schedule.”
Despite these returns, New Zealand will still be without several key players. Lockie Ferguson (hamstring), Adam Milne (foot), Will O’Rourke (back), Glenn Phillips (groin), and Finn Allen (foot) are all unavailable. Additionally, Kane Williamson has opted out under his casual playing agreement but is expected to rejoin for the England white-ball series later this year.
With these absences, Ish Sodhi will shoulder the spin responsibility, supported by an emerging batting core including Rachin Ravindra and Tim Robinson.
Bracewell expressed excitement at leading the side in a prestigious contest:
“The Chappell-Hadlee Trophy is a special rivalry. It hasn’t been with us since 2016, and we want to change that. Playing for it on home soil adds to the motivation.”
He also acknowledged the challenge posed by Mitchell Marsh Australia, who recently registered T20I series wins over West Indies and South Africa.
Series Schedule – NZ vs AUS T20Is 2025
- 1st T20I: October 1 – Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
- 2nd T20I: October 3 – Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
- 3rd T20I: October 4 – Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
New Zealand 14-Member T20I Squad vs Australia
- Michael Bracewell (capt)
- Mark Chapman
- Devon Conway
- Jacob Duffy
- Zak Foulkes
- Matt Henry
- Bevon Jacobs
- Kyle Jamieson
- Daryl Mitchell
- Rachin Ravindra
- Tim Robinson
- Ben Sears
- Tim Seifert
- Ish Sodhi
New Zealand enter the series with mixed emotions — while the return of Jamieson and Sears strengthens their pace attack, the absence of Santner and several other key players makes the task tougher. With Bracewell at the helm, the BlackCaps will aim to reclaim the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy for the first time since 2016, setting the stage for a high-intensity battle against Australia.
