Follow UsNew Zealand batter Tim Robinson has been dropped from the T20 International (T20I) against Zimbabwe in Harare on July 18 (Friday) despite claiming the Player of the Match award in the previous game against South Africa, a couple of days ago.
Robinson slammed his career-best T20I score of 75* off just 57 deliveries against South Africa, scoring his second fifty in the format. Moreover, his unbeaten 103-run stand for the sixth wicket with debutant Bevon-John Jacobs (44*) saw the Blackcaps put up 173/5 on the board.
The Mitchell Santner-led side went on to win the match by 21 runs in the end.
Despite a perfect batting performance, Robinson was dropped for the next game against New Zealand. New Zealand made four changes to their XI today - with Rachin Ravindra, Mark Chapman, Michael Bracewell and Adam Milne coming in.
Robinson was left out to make way for Ravindra, who returned from his stint at the Major League Cricket (MLC), at three.
A media release from New Zealand Cricket (NZC) stated that Robinson, who was named in the squad initially as cover for the MLC players, will continue to do so following Glenn Phillips' injury that ruled him out of the series. As a cover, a player comes into the side only when first-choice players are unavailable. Since Ravindra was fit and available, the 23-year-old had to drop back to the bench.
Mitchell Hay and James Neesham, who were also part of the previous T20I, were part of the squad as cover. They will head back home along with Phillips, who will take a few weeks to recover from his groin injury.