New Zealand Shakes Up Lineup Ahead of T20 World Cup

In the lead-up to the 2025 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, the New Zealand cricket team has made some notable changes to its lineup for the upcoming series against England. The most significant move is the dropping of star batsman Devon Conway, whose place at the top of the order will now be taken by Tim Robinson.

Robinson, who scored an unbeaten 106 in the series-opening T20 against Australia earlier this month, will partner with Tim Seifert. This allows Rachin Ravindra to slot back in at the crucial No. 3 position, after he missed the previous series due to a facial laceration.

Elsewhere, captain Mitchell Santner has also returned to the side, having been absent for the start of the summer with a sports hernia suffered while playing in English franchise cricket. Santner acknowledged that the team's depth is causing "a few headaches," but said it's a "good position to be in" as the Black Caps prepare for the World Cup.

The series against England will also feature some familiar faces, with former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum now leading the England white-ball team. McCullum has also brought in former teammates Tim Southee as bowling consultant and Jesuit Patel as spin mentor, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the matchup.