Martin Guptill will play no part in the upcoming T20 series against India, after succumbing to a back injury.
After missing the fifth and final ODI in Wellington, the opener failed a fitness test on Monday morning and will now return to Auckland in a bid to recover in time for the following series against Bangladesh.
He will be replaced in the squad by Wellington Firebirds all-rounder Jimmy Neesham.
"Unfortunately, Martin hasn’t recovered in time for this T20 series," said Blackcaps coach Gary Stead.
"It's a shame, as he's obviously a big part of our white-ball sides, but we've got to look at the big picture and ensure he gets the injury right."
The series begins Wednesday night at Westpac Stadium, where the White Ferns will play first as part of an Indian double-header.
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Join us at 7:30pm Wednesday for live updates of the Blackcaps vs India T20 match at Wellington.
