New Zealand's build-up for Thursday's crucial TVS Cup tri-series match against India suffered a double blow after reliable all-rounder Chris Cairns and frontline bowler Paul Hitchcock were ruled out due to injuries.
"Both Hitchcock and Cairns are out. We'll announce the final eleven tomorrow out of the 12 remaining players," New Zealand coach Ashley Ross told newspersons in Cuttack on Wednesday evening.
Cairns, who has been carrying a niggling hamstring injury for months, had to miss the team's first two matches and could only play in the Kiwis' previous encounter against Australia, at Pune.
Sources said Cairns's injury got aggravated at Pune, hence the team management decided to rest him.
"He was close to playing tomorrow. But we assessed his injury and decided he cannot play," Ross said.
Hitchcock missed the Pune match because of a side strain and the Kiwi think-tank decided to give him more time to recover.