Aug 7 (Reuters) - New Zealand spinner Daniel Vettori will
miss the two-test series against India after failing to recover
from the groin strain he suffered in West Indies, the country's
cricket board said on Tuesday.
Vettori, New Zealand's most capped test cricketer, suffered
a right abductor strain during the first test against West
Indies last month.
While the team under Ross Taylor are certain to miss
Vettori's experience in India's spin-friendly conditions, they
would expect Patel, a 32-year-old off-spinner of Indian origin,
to fill the void.
"Unfortunately Daniel Vettori won't recover in time for the
test series but his injury has created an opportunity for Jeetan
Patel to come back into the side," national selection manager
Kim Littlejohn said on the New Zealand cricket website
(www.blackcaps.co.nz).
"Jeetan has been in great form for Warwickshire and deserves
his opportunity."
Batsman Dean Brownlie made way for all-rounder James
Franklin in the only other change to the squad that recently
lost 2-0 in the test series against West Indies.
"The tour of India will be a great challenge and experience
for this squad," Littlejohn added. "James Franklin has been
brought into the squad to bolster the batting.
"He brings a lot of experience and knowledge of playing in
Indian conditions which will be invaluable.
"Dean Brownlie misses out on selection. We continue to see
him as player of the future but at this stage we feel he needs
to works on parts of his game."
Hyderabad hosts the first test from Aug 23, while the second
match is scheduled in Bangalore from Aug 31.
Squad: Ross Taylor (captain), Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell,
Daniel Flynn, James Franklin, Martin Guptill, Chris Martin,
Brendon McCullum, Tarun Nethula, Jeetan Patel, Tim Southee,
Kruger van Wyk, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling, Kane Williamson.
(Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly in Mumbai; editing by Amlan
Chakraborty)