Bates is playing in the Australian Women's Big Bash League for the Perth Scorchers and will miss both 50-over games against Auckland in Lincoln on December 28-29.
She will play in the twenty20 match on December 27 but will return to Australia that night to prepare for Perth's match against the Melbourne Renegades on December 29.
White Ferns and Otago spinner Morna Nielsen will be flying in from the other direction. She plays for the Melbourne Stars and will miss Otago's T20 match but will arrive in Christchurch the night before the first of the two one-dayers.
They are both key players in the side but Bates has pretty much carried the batting for the best part of a decade and her absence will offer a glimpse into the future.
All-rounders Kate Heffernan and Ella Brown will join the squad as replacements. They have both been in action for Otago at the under-21 team in Auckland this week.
Heffernan was the second-highest wicket taker and scorer at the New Zealand secondary school finals earlier this month, so is in terrific form.
She helped St Hilda's Collegiate win the title and, along with twin sister Georgia, appears to have a bright future. They are both very decent netballers as well.
Brown is gentle medium-pacer and middle-order batsman and one of the better fielders.
Shebani Bhaskar has been overlooked, while the experienced Katey Martin will captain the side in the absence of Bates.
Bates and Nielsen have had modest success in the Big Bash League to date.
Bates has played four games for the Scorchers. While she has picked up five wickets at an average of 16.80, she is yet to really make an impact with the bat, scoring 80 runs at an average of 20.
Nielsen has just one wicket in four games for the Stars.
