New Zealand rotate their pace bowlers for the final three T20Is against India

New Zealand have moved six bowlers in and out of their T20I squad for the rest of the India series, with the side 2-0 down and three matches to play

New Zealand Cricket announced the movements on Sunday as the squad travelled from Christchurch to Wellington for the third T20I on Tuesday. Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson are all being worked around other commitments, and Blair Tickner, Josh Clarkson and Matt Fisher come into the group.

The board put the changes down to planned workload management rather than form or injury. Five T20Is against India are followed immediately by a five-match ODI series, with the one-day squad assembling in Auckland on 2 November.

"It’s been a competitive start to the T20 series with two close games and plenty more cricket to come," head coach Rob Walter said.

Ferguson goes home and comes back

Ferguson left for Auckland on Sunday and so misses the third match of the series.

He rejoins the squad for the last two T20Is, at Eden Park and Seddon Park, which means he is available for three of the five matches in all.

Clarkson follows a similar path from the other direction, joining up in Auckland and becoming available for the fourth and fifth matches only.

Ferguson’s absence on Tuesday overlaps with Clarkson’s, so neither is available for the match New Zealand have to win.

Henry and Jamieson held back for the one-dayers

Henry stays in Christchurch rather than travelling with the squad, and joins the ODI group in Auckland on 2 November. His part in the T20I series is over.

He had been in the attack for the opening match of the series at Hagley Oval.

Jamieson plays on Tuesday, then returns to Canterbury for their second Ford Trophy round at Cello Basin Reserve on 31 October before rejoining the national side for the one-day internationals.

Both are front-line seamers, and both are being held for the 50-over leg rather than the T20Is in between.

The Ford Trophy round gives Jamieson a 50-over workload two days before the one-day squad assembles in Auckland.

Tickner in for three, Fisher for one

Tickner joins in Wellington and is available for all three remaining T20Is, the longest run of any of the players coming in.

Fisher travels as cover for Tuesday’s match alone, then goes back to the New Zealand A squad at Lincoln University on Wednesday.

That side is playing a four-day series against India A at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln.

Walter said the side was "very fortunate with the depth in the squad" to be able to call on different players through a congested run of fixtures.

Three matches to turn the series around

India lead the five-match series 2-0 after winning both matches in Christchurch, on 22 and 24 October.

Both of those matches were played at Hagley Oval, and the series now moves north for its last three.

Tuesday’s match in Wellington is therefore the one New Zealand have to win to keep the series alive, with the fourth T20I in Auckland on 30 October and the fifth in Hamilton on 1 November.

The ODI series that follows falls inside New Zealand’s build-up to next year’s 50-over World Cup.

India have been managing absences too

Ishan Kishan missed the second T20I after the BCCI said the wicketkeeper-batter had sustained a low-grade right adductor strain in the opener.

Kumar Kushagra was added to the squad as cover for that match, and the board said it would monitor Kishan’s progress.

India have not announced any further changes for the Wellington match.

The third T20I begins in Wellington on Tuesday, with New Zealand needing a win to keep the five-match series alive.

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