Amelia Kerr sidelined from remaining India ODIs and major WBBL matches due to injury

New Zealand all-rounder Amelia Kerr will miss the next two ODIs against India due to a torn left quadricep muscle. Kerr sustained the injury during the first game of the series, which India won by 59 runs. She is expected to be out of action for around three weeks to fully recover from the injury. The New Zealand team has decided not to bring in a replacement for Kerr in the ODI squad.

This also puts her WBBL participation in serious doubt for Sydney Sixers with the tournament set to start on Sunday. Amelia was a big-name pre-signing for Sixers as a platinum-category pick and could miss eight of Sixers' 10 league games even if she recovers in three weeks.

An NZC release stated Amelia was taken for scans on Friday morning, which revealed a grade-one quadricep tear, and that she would return home on Sunday to start her rehabilitation.

"We're really gutted for Melie," New Zealand head coach Ben Sawyer said. "Injuries are always a challenging time for a player and we know how disappointed she is to not be able to play these games.

"Everyone knows how much of an integral part of this team Melie is so we'll certainly miss her but we're wishing her a speedy recovery."

Soon after playing a pivotal role in New Zealand's T20 World Cup-winning campaign as the tournament's highest wicket-taker with 15 scalps, Amelia was New Zealand's best bowler in the opening ODI too, taking 4 for 42 before scoring an unbeaten 25 off 23 in the chase. The remaining two ODIs are on October 27 and 29, also in Ahmedabad.

Amelia's absence could hurt New Zealand's hopes of climbing the Women's ODI Championship table, where a top-six finish will ensure direct qualification for the ODI World Cup in 2025. New Zealand are currently placed sixth out of 10 teams and will next play Australia in December.