New Zealand captain Kane Williamson faces missing out again after scans revealed he fractured his thumb in World Cup victory over Bangladesh, his first match in seven months to a serious knee injury.
Coach Gary Stead, however, said Williamson would remain with the team and could return to the field “at the end of the pool next month”.
The 33-year-old injured his left thumb when he was hit by a pitch while running between the wickets of Bangladesh’s eight-wicket haul on Friday in Chennai, forcing him to retire injured on 78.
Batsman Tom Blundell will travel to India as cover but will not be officially part of the squad while Williamson rehabilitates, New Zealand Cricket said.
The injury spoiled Williamson’s return to cricket after he injured his knee while playing in the Indian Premier League in March.
He missed the World Cup opening victories against England and the Netherlands before being judged ready to play against Bangladesh.
Watch every match of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup live ad-free on Kayo Sports. Join Kayo now and start streaming instantly >
“First of all, we are all worried for Kane that this is happening after all his hard work to recover from his knee injury,” Stead said.
“Although disappointing, the initial diagnosis has given us some optimism that he will still be able to play in the pool later after a period of rest and rehabilitation.
“Kane is clearly an important part of our team and a world-class player and captain, so we will look to give him every opportunity possible to return to the tournament.” If Williamson is ruled out until November, he will miss group matches against Afghanistan, India and Australia over the next two weeks.
New Zealand currently sit at the top of the 10-nation rankings after three wins in three matches.
The top four qualify for the semi-finals while the final will take place in Ahmedabad on November 19.
