Kane Williamson has lost his race to be fit for New Zealand’s first Test with West Indies in Dunedin.
Williamson, who is set to play for Yorkshire again next season, made sufficient recovery from a broken thumb sustained in Bangladesh during October to be included in the hosts’ squad.
However, he will not be risked for the opening Test of three, which starts tonight, meaning a recall for Aaron Redmond after a gap of five years.
Captain Brendon McCullum said: "It was pretty close, it was a tough decision, but in the end it was just a touch too early for Kane. But Aaron has been in such good form and knows these conditions well. We thought he'd be the better option in this Test rather than force Kane back.
"He batted yesterday in the nets and didn't feel a great deal of discomfort, but with then doing some fielding then going back into the nets it stiffened up. He probably could have played, but in the grand scheme of the season we have in front of us and how valuable he is to us we saw it as a safer option by allowing him to miss this one and give him another week to recover."