Lockie Ferguson ruled out NZ vs IND 2026 T20Is amid injury crisis; replaced by emerging 26-year-old bowler

New Zealand speedster Lockie Ferguson has been ruled out of the final two T20Is against India, leaving the hosts without one of their senior fast bowlers for the upcoming matches at Eden Park on Friday and the series finale at Seddon Park on Sunday. Matthew Fisher, the 26-year-old quick who joined the group as cover for the third T20I in Wellington, has been retained in the squad in his place.

Lockie Ferguson did not complete his spell in the last-over thriller during the second T20I in Christchurch. He went for 37 runs in his three overs, and he was rested for the third T20I as part of the Blackcaps' radical workload management plan for seamers.

The Blackcaps have had a long list of injuries in the home series so far. Veteran pacer Matt Henry has already been ruled out of the remainder of the series after leaving the field with a tight calf after bowling just two overs of the second T20I in Christchurch. The other key absences include Zak Foulkes and Mark Chapman, who were replaced by Blair Tickner and Josh Clarkson, while the likes of Rachin Ravindra and Will O'Rourke also missed out due to injuries.

New Zealand head coach Rob Walter said the side was “gutted for Lockie and Matt”.

“Injuries are part and parcel of international cricket but it doesn’t make it any easier when you have to miss games. Fortunately for Matt he was already going to sit out on the rest of the T20Is with an eye to his big summer schedule, and we’re hopeful he’ll still play a key role in the ODIs. I know Lockie was fizzing to play in front of a sell-out home crowd at Eden Park tomorrow, but he’s determined to be back for the ODIs," the head coach said in a statement released on nzc.nz

India have already wrapped up the series, winning all three matches so far. In the third T20I in Wellington, they chased 199 in 13.2 overs for the loss of four wickets, after Abhishek Sharma's stunning fourth T20I hundred that included a record powerplay score of 118.

Matthew Fisher dismissed Vaibhav Suryavanshi in NZ vs IND 2026 3rd T20I in Lockie Ferguson’s absence

Matthew Fisher made just his second T20I appearance in the recent clash against India in Wellington after Lockie Ferguson was rested. Although he conceded 23 off his only over, he made a mark by dismissing Vaibhav Suryavanshi for 45 off 19 in the eighth over.

The 26-year-old was handed a central contract this year and named in the ODI squad for this series, and he had been due to rejoin New Zealand A at Lincoln University on Wednesday for the second four-day match against India A before the call to stay with the T20I group.

Lockie Ferguson’s focus now shifts to the five-match ODI series, which opens at Eden Park on November 4, with two Tests against India and a four-Test tour of Australia to follow.

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