“Corey hasn’t been able to recover as quickly as we hoped”

Image courtesy of: Zimbio

New Zealand all-rounder Corey Anderson will miss the Blackcaps’ Test tour of Australia, which starts next month, after failing to sufficiently recover from a back injury.

Anderson, who returned to New Zealand during the national team’s tour of England in June due to a stress-related back issue, will be replaced by uncapped all-rounder Mitchell Santner.

The 24-year-old missed the limited overs series against Zimbabwe and South Africa in August and was supposed to be fully fit for the tour of Australia, but fell behind on his road to making a full recovery. As a result, he will stay in New Zealand and continue his rehabilitation programme.

“Corey hasn’t been able to recover as quickly as we hoped and we’ve chosen not to try to rush him back,” the New Zealand selector Gavin Larsen said. “We’ve always said there were a number of checkpoints for him to meet before our departure date, and we’re now in a position to confirm he’s not ready. With that in mind, it’s better for him to continue his rehabilitation at Lincoln.”

Anderson’s injury provides Santner with a golden opportunity to make a name for himself in he longest format of the game. The 23-year-old made his ODI and Twenty20 International debuts in England and was picked for the limited overs series against Zimbabwe and South Africa, but had to withdraw due to a fractured thumb.

“Mitch clearly isn’t a direct, like-for-like replacement for Corey – but in terms of the bigger picture he’s an allrounder who can bat at No. 6 or 7 and he’s also a front-line bowler,” Larsen said. “It’s a good opportunity for him. We believe his left-arm spin will add some variety to our options and his batting is well-suited to the conditions expected across the Tasman.”