O’Rourke to Miss India ODIs and Tests in Injury Precaution

New Zealand fast bowler William O’Rourke will miss the home one-day international and Test series against India while recovering from hamstring and calf injuries, New Zealand Cricket and coach Rob Walter said. The decision is precautionary, with the team seeking to give him time to rehabilitate and build up his bowling workload before returning to play. O’Rourke had been expected to feature in both series, but Walter said the player and team agreed he needed more time to recover. Walter said New Zealand’s pace-bowling resources would be important over the coming months and that the team was taking a conservative approach to O’Rourke’s return. The India tour begins with five Twenty20 internationals on October 22. Five ODIs are scheduled to start on November 1, followed by two Tests beginning November 19. The tour is due to run through December 1. O’Rourke was ruled out of the ODI and Test legs; the supplied reports do not identify him as part of the T20I squad. Walter said an ideal target would be for O’Rourke to return for Canterbury in the Plunket Shield in late December.