Devon Conway Ruled Out of First India ODI After Training Collision With Matt Henry

New Zealand opener Devon Conway will miss the first one day international against India at Eden Park in Auckland on Wednesday, November 4, after a training collision with teammate Matt Henry left him with a concussion. New Zealand Cricket confirmed the ruling on Tuesday, November 3, one day before the five match ODI series opens at the same ground.

What happened at Eden Park

Conway and Henry collided while both were attempting to take a catch during a training and fielding session at Eden Park on Tuesday. Medical staff treated both players on site at once, and both received Head Injury Assessments at the ground. Conway was then taken to hospital, to A&E, for a further examination. That examination confirmed a concussion, and Conway was ruled out of the first ODI.

New Zealand Cricket said in its statement: "Both players were immediately treated by medical staff on-site and received Head Injury Assessments. Conway was taken to A&E for further examination which confirmed a concussion that has ruled him out of the first ODI against India tomorrow." The board added: "Both players will continue to be monitored and their involvement in the ODI series against India will be updated in due course."

Henry monitored, Seifert likely to step in

Henry was not ruled out. His condition is being monitored, and he remains in consideration for selection for the first match. Captain Mitchell Santner said Henry seemed fine after going through his concussion tests. Santner also said Tim Seifert is likely to be the direct replacement for Conway in the playing XI, according to IANS and ANI reports of his comments.

The change comes at the top of the order. Conway was set to open the batting for New Zealand in the series opener, and Seifert now stands as the expected replacement in that role if the captain's reading holds.

An injury list that was already long

New Zealand were already short for this series before Tuesday's collision. Mark Chapman and Rachin Ravindra are both missing the series through injury. IANS reported that Chapman and Ravindra were ruled out of the five match ODI series with hamstring and shoulder injuries.

Henry's own return adds to the concern around him. He was coming back from injury in this series, having missed the last three T20Is against India with a low grade tear in his right quadriceps, Cricbuzz reported. A head knock in his first training block back is the last thing the fast bowler or the team needed, which is why the monitoring over the next day matters.

Series opens on Wednesday

The five match ODI series between New Zealand and India begins on Wednesday, November 4, at Eden Park in Auckland. It follows the five match T20I series between the same sides. IANS reported that India welcome back Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for the ODI series.

For New Zealand, the first task is now a medical one: confirm whether Henry is cleared, settle Seifert into the opening role, and then face India with a squad already missing three players it had planned to use.