New Zealand all-rounder Nathan Smith has been ruled out of the second and the final Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo due to an abdominal strain, which he picked on the second day of the series opener while batting and had to retire hurt. Smith didn't take the field in the rest of the game and the scans confirmed a strain, which may now take up to a month to fully recover.
"Smith sustained the injury while batting on day two of the first Test in Bulawayo, and a subsequent MRI has confirmed he picked up an abdominal strain which will require approximately two to four weeks recovery," an NZC statement read.
Zak Foulkes, who was with the white-ball side for the T20I tri-series, replaced Smith in the Test side, while New Zealand also called up Ben Lister as cover for tall pacer Will O'Rourke, who is being monitored after back stiffness on the third day. There have been a few injuries in the New Zealand camp, with Finn Allen and Glenn Phillips being ruled out of the tri-series, followed by the Test captain, Tom Latham, missing the first game due to a shoulder injury.
Mitchell Santner, the white-ball captain for New Zealand, led the side in the series opener and it remains to be seen if he continues it in the second as well. Michael Bracewell replaced Phillips for the first Test but will he stay for the second as well, because he was called up as Phillips' cover only for one game and will have a few of the Hundred games for the Southern Brave, clashing with the finale?
Santner and Rachin Ravindra are other members from the Test side, who are Hundred-bound, but both of them are centrally contracted and will play both games. New Zealand took a 1-0 lead in the series with a comfortable nine-wicket win in the opener and will fancy themselves to finish things off in the second.