New Zealand lose Conway to concussion before the first ODI against India at Eden Park

Devon Conway has been ruled out of the first ODI against India after a training collision with Matt Henry left him concussed, deepening a New Zealand casualty list that already runs to Mark Chapman and Rachin Ravindra

New Zealand and India begin a five-match ODI series at Eden Park on Wednesday, with the first ball scheduled for 3pm local time, and the hosts will start it without their first-choice opener.

New Zealand Cricket confirmed on the eve of the match that Conway had been concussed at training. "Devon Conway and Matt Henry collided while attempting a catch during the BLACKCAPS training today at Eden Park," the board said, adding that an examination at A&E "confirmed a concussion that has ruled him out of the first ODI against India tomorrow".

India arrive in Auckland having taken the preceding T20I series 3-2, and with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli restored to the 50-over squad under Shubman Gill.

A collision at training

Both players were treated on site and given Head Injury Assessments before Conway was sent for further examination, New Zealand Cricket said. Henry did not suffer a concussion.

"It's one of those ones you want to take very seriously, head knocks," captain Mitchell Santner said after training, adding that Henry had come through testing and seemed fine.

Henry's availability for the opener was unsettled before the collision in any case. When New Zealand revised their squad on Monday, the board said only that the seamer would assemble with the group and be assessed for his readiness to play.

"Both the players will be monitored and an update on their further involvement in the series will be given in due course," New Zealand Cricket said.

Seifert the likely replacement

"We have a backup batter in line just in case, but we'll wait and see how he pulls up," Santner said of the vacancy at the top of the order.

That reserve is Tim Seifert, who was added to the squad for the whole series on Monday having originally been named for the fourth and fifth ODIs only.

Seifert comes in on the back of 93 in the fifth T20I, an innings that carried New Zealand to a seven-wicket win even as India closed out the series.

A casualty list that keeps growing

Chapman and Ravindra were ruled out of the entire series on Monday. A recent MRI on Chapman's left hamstring showed he needs a further two weeks of rehabilitation, while Ravindra's right shoulder has not recovered enough for him to field at full capacity.

"Everyone knows what an asset Mark and Rachin are to this side so it's a shame they have to miss this series," head coach Rob Walter said.

Henry Nicholls was called into the squad for the first three matches after making 119 for Canterbury against Wellington in the Ford Trophy, his 13th List A hundred. Dean Foxcroft comes in for the last two, and Matt Fisher stays with the group for the full series as an extra bowling option.

India restore Rohit and Kohli

Gill leads India for the first three ODIs with Shreyas Iyer as his deputy, and both Rohit and Kohli are in that group. Nitish Kumar Reddy is available for Wednesday's match only before joining India A for their final four-day game.

India are without Prasidh Krishna, who was left out of the ODI squads as he recovers from a hamstring injury. The seamer "will need additional time to build up the workload required to be ready for matches", the BCCI said, and will instead play for India A once he clears a return-to-play assessment.

A series that splits in two

Both sides have planned around the Tests that follow. India hand the captaincy to Iyer for the fourth and fifth ODIs, with Ishan Kishan as vice-captain, while Santner leads New Zealand throughout.

New Zealand's red-ball players leave the white-ball group after the third match and travel to Wellington, where the first Test begins at the Basin Reserve on 19 November.

New Zealand name their side at the toss on Wednesday, with Seifert expected to open in Conway's place and Henry's involvement still to be confirmed.

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