Daryl Mitchell, Blair Tickner get NZ call for India T20I series

All-rounder Daryl Mitchell and pacer Blair Tickner have got their maiden call to New Zealand's T20I squad as the Black Caps announced a 14-member team for their upcoming three-match T20I series against India beginning February 6.

While Mitchell is in for the entire series, Tickner has been included for the last T20I as his fellow pacer Lockie Ferguson will be available only for the first two matches of the series. Ferguson has been given rest for the third T20I in order to manage his workload.

New Zealand selector Gavin Larsen said that Mitchell and Tickner were rewarded for their good performance in domestic cricket.

"Both Daryl and Blair have been rewarded for the strong form they've produced in domestic cricket. They've been there or thereabouts for most of the season and both featured in our New Zealand A short-format teams," ESPNcricinfo.com quoted Larsen, as saying.

"Daryl has shown his value with the bat and also tends to bowl at some tough times for the [Northern] Knights, and Blair is well-respected among his team-mates and opponents alike as someone who bowls a heavy ball at good pace," he added.

In another development, right-arm pacer Dough Bracewell has replaced injured James Neesham in the team. Pacer Trent Boult has also not been included in the T20I side in order to reduce his workload.

India and New Zealand are slated to play a three-match T20I series from February 6 to 10 - in Wellington Auckland and Hamilton.

Following are the full New Zealand squad for the India T20I series:

Kane Williamson (c), Doug Bracewell, Colin de Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson (Games 1 and 2), Martin Guptill, Scott Kuggeleijn, Daryl Mitchell, Colin Munro, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert (wk), Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Blair Tickner (Game 3).