Who Replaces Lockie Ferguson in the India T20I Series Bowling Attack After His Calf Tear?

Matt Fisher replaces Lockie Ferguson in New Zealand’s squad for the last two T20Is against India, after scans revealed a low-grade tear in the fast bowler’s right calf. The 26-year-old was already with the group as injury cover, and he inherits an attack that conceded 199 in 13.2 overs in Wellington. India lead 3-0 with two games left, and Ferguson needs about another week of recovery before he can play again. Fisher has played only two T20Is, so the promotion is a gamble.

NZC Confirms Scan Findings

Ferguson reported discomfort in the right calf while bowling in the second T20I at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on 24 October. Scans then showed a low-grade tear, and New Zealand Cricket expects him to need another week or so before he can play again. The announcement arrived a day before the fourth T20I at Eden Park in Auckland.

Matt Fisher was named as the replacement and had been with the squad for several days as injury cover, having first joined to cover the Wellington game only. Coach Rob Walter said Ferguson had been eager to bowl in front of a full house at Eden Park, though he intends to return for the ODI series. Brett Randell of the Central Stags has been added to New Zealand A for the second match against India A, replacing Fisher there.

Lockie Ferguson India T20I series calf tear

Ferguson was always going to miss the third T20I in Wellington on 27 October, a rest planned for workload management, and he was due back for the fourth and fifth games at Eden Park. The calf problem now removes him from those matches as well, turning a short break into a longer absence.

His involvement in the series was brief. He took 1/34 in the opener and went wicketless for 37 in the second game, and India won both Christchurch matches by four wickets. They then took the Wellington game by six wickets, which gives the visitors a 3-0 lead with two to play.

Fisher Inherits a Strained Attack

Matthew Fisher, a right-arm medium-fast bowler from Auckland, holds T20I cap 109 after debuting against Bangladesh on 27 April 2026, when he conceded 53 in four wicketless overs. His only other T20I outing came in Wellington, where he dismissed Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for 45 off 19 balls in the eighth over to end a 133-run opening stand. He was born on 10 November 1999 and earned a central contract this year. His Test debut came against Zimbabwe in August 2025, when he took two wickets at an economy of 3.21.

Fisher’s List A record shows 43 wickets in 25 matches at an average of 26. The rest of the Wellington attack suffered more, with Kyle Jamieson finishing on 2/45, captain Mitchell Santner returning 1/17 from three overs, and Jacob Duffy’s opening over costing 26 runs thanks to a no-ball and a wide. Abhishek Sharma then struck 113 off 35 balls as India reached their target of 199 inside 13.2 overs, the fastest pursuit of 190 or more in T20Is.

Henry Injury and the Bowling Outlook

Matt Henry reported a sore right quadriceps in that same Christchurch game, and scans showed a low-grade tear needing one to two weeks of recovery. He was already due to miss the rest of the T20Is as part of a plan to rest the fast bowlers, so the injury does not change his series. He links up with the ODI group in Auckland on 2 November, with the opening ODI following on 4 November.

The gap from the injury to the first ODI is 11 days, which fits inside Henry’s two-week window but leaves little margin, so Walter was right to sound hopeful rather than certain. Jamieson is also on track for the ODIs. With the Lockie Ferguson India T20I series calf tear removing him from both Eden Park games, the home side leans on Fisher, Jamieson, Duffy and Santner for the final two matches.