Tim Robinson will take his place at the top of the order, partnering Tim Seifert.
Rachin Ravindra returns at No 3 after recovering from a facial laceration.
Captain Mitchell Santner also returns having recovered from a sports hernia.
The first of three T20 games against England begins at 7.15pm.
Red and black sports fans will have to make a tough choice with the NPC semifinal between Canterbury and Hawke’s Bay also being played at 7.15pm at the Apollo Projects Stadium in Addington.
Meanwhile, Gavin Larsen has been appointed Black Caps selection manager, filling the role left by the departing Sam Wells.
He then took on the role of performance director at the Warwickshire County Cricket Club before returning to New Zealand and accepting the role of commercial manager for the Nelson Giants (basketball).
Larsen, in conjunction with coach Rob Walter, will be responsible for helping select all Black Caps, New Zealand A and New Zealand XI squads for in-bound and out-bound tours.
NZC’s chief high performance officer Daryl Gibson said the national selection manager was responsible for managing the selection processes, as well
as working with domestic scouts and the major association coaches to stay up to date on the domestic scene.
Gibson said Larsen impressed the appointments panel with his grasp of the modern game, not least the relationship between franchise and international cricket, and his knowledge of the domestic competition.
Gibson confirmed the selection model would remain unchanged, with the selection manager empowered to brief, advise, collaborate with, and challenge the Black Caps coach, who would retain ultimate decision-making authority.
Larsen will officially begin his role on November 3. — New Zealand Cricket
