IND vs NZ: Devon Conway Ruled Out Of 1st ODI After Concussion, KKR player to Replace Him, RCB star in Observation

New Zealand have suffered an injury setback ahead of the first ODI against India, with wicketkeeper-batter Devon Conway ruled out of the series opener after sustaining a concussion during a training session at Eden Park.

Conway suffered the injury following a collision with teammate Matt Henry while the duo attempted to take an aerial catch during practice on Tuesday. New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner confirmed the incident at the pre-match press conference, revealing that Conway had been taken away for medical attention, and the southpaw will miss the first ODI encounter.

"I think Matt went through his concussion thing. He seems okay, but Dev's (Conway) been rushed off-premises. So, yeah, it didn't look too good, actually, that collision," Santner said.

New Zealand Cricket subsequently confirmed that Conway had been diagnosed with concussion after being taken to hospital for further examination, ruling him out of Wednesday's opening ODI against India.

"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," NZC said in an official statement.

Tim Seifert Set To Replace Devon Conway

With Conway unavailable for the series opener, Tim Seifert is expected to take his place in the playing combination. Santner indicated that the experienced wicketkeeper-batter would be the natural replacement, given his position as the reserve batter in the squad.

"Yeah, I guess he's the back-up batter in our squad, so it'll probably be a direct swap if Dev's unavailable, which is a shame," the New Zealand skipper said.

Santner also backed Seifert's abilities in the 50-over format, suggesting that the opportunity could allow him to make an impact after limited opportunities during the recently concluded T20I series.

"He obviously is very good in one-day cricket and was biding his time in the T20 series. And, yeah, I guess it's another one of those freak accidents that happen," he added.

Matt Henry And Devon Conway Under Medical Observation

New Zealand Cricket confirmed that both players received immediate medical attention following the collision and underwent head injury assessments.

While Henry appeared to be doing fine, both cricketers will remain under medical observation. NZC said further updates regarding their availability for the remainder of the series would be provided in due course. Santner also stressed the importance of treating head injuries seriously, particularly following an incident of this nature.

"It's one of those ones you want to take very seriously, head knocks. We have a backup batter in line just in case. But, yeah, we'll wait and see how he pulls up. It didn't look great, to be fair," the Kiwi skipper concluded.

India enter the three-match ODI series after winning the preceding five-match T20I contest 3-2. New Zealand, however, finished the shorter-format assignment strongly, winning the final two matches.