Will O’Rourke ruled out of New Zealand’s home series against India

New Zealand fast bowler Will O'Rourke will miss the upcoming series against India as he recovers from hamstring and calf injuries. Coach Rob Walter said the decision was made to avoid rushing his return. New Zealand hope O'Rourke will play domestic cricket in late December before featuring in the first Test against Australia in Perth on December 9.

Auckland: New Zealand fast bowler Will O’Rourke will sit out the upcoming home series against India as he continues his recovery from injuries to his left hamstring and calf, with the pacer and the team management prioritising his availability for the four-Test tour of Australia in December. Will O'Rourke will miss the upcoming home Test and ODI series against India as he continues to rehabilitate following injuries to his left hamstring and calf pic.twitter.com/lSj6oUKNlR— Cricinfo (@cricinfo) October 10, 2026 The 25-year-old had only returned to international cricket earlier this year after spending seven months on the sidelines with a back stress fracture. However, his comeback was interrupted by a hamstring tear sustained on the final day of New Zealand’s third Test against England in June, followed by a calf strain during a training session in late August.The Blackcaps’ coach Rob Walter said the decision was taken jointly with O’Rourke and the team’s medical staff to allow the fast bowler sufficient time to recover and rebuild his bowling workload without risking further setbacks.'I Will Never Fight Him': US President Donald Trump Calls Mike Tyson A 'Scary Guy', Recalls Boxing Legend’s Fearsome Prime At Syracuse Rally | Video “It’s obviously disappointing for Will to have to miss such a marquee tour at home against India. He was set to feature in both the ODI and Test series, but following subsequent discussions, we all agreed it was best for him to take some more time to rehabilitate both injuries and safely build up his bowling loads.“Our pace bowling resources will be critical over the next few months so we’re taking a conservative approach to Will’s return to ensure he’s fully fit before he takes the field again. Ideally he’ll be able to return for Canterbury in the Plunket Shield in late December, and in a perfect world he’ll be ready to go for the opening Test against Australia in Perth on December 9,” Walter said.O’Rourke’s absence is a setback for New Zealand’s pace attack ahead of a demanding international schedule, although the team management is keen to avoid rushing back a bowler who has already endured two significant injury interruptions.Steve Smith Surpasses Steve Waugh To Become Australia's Third-Highest Test Run-Scorer With 10,945 Runs Since making his Test debut in 2024, O’Rourke has claimed 49 wickets in 14 matches at an average of just under 25. His performances during New Zealand’s 2-1 Test series victory in England in June underlined his value, with the right-arm pacer taking 10 wickets before his hamstring injury ruled him out of further action.His immediate rehabilitation will determine whether he can return to domestic cricket for Canterbury in the Plunket Shield later in December, ahead of the first Test against Australia in Perth on December 9.New Zealand’s preparations for India’s visit have already been affected by other fitness concerns. Batsman Mark Chapman and all-rounder Zak Foulkes were ruled out of the T20 squad on Saturday, with Josh Clarkson and Blair Tickner named as their replacements.The India tour will begin with five T20 Internationals on October 22, followed by five one-day internationals and two Test matches. New Zealand are scheduled to announce their squad for the ODI series on Sunday.With the Australia tour looming, the Kiwis will be hoping that a cautious approach to O’Rourke’s rehabilitation allows one of their leading young Test bowlers to return at full fitness for the crucial five-day contests.(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)

Injured strike bowler Will O'Rourke has been ruled out of the home series against India and will target a return to face Australia, New Zealand Cricket announced on Saturday.