Trailing 2-0 with the series slipping away, New Zealand rolled the dice on raw history. The Black Caps drafted 31-year-old seamer Brett Randell into their squad for the final two ODIs against India, putting the late-blooming paceman on track for a Friday international debut.
Randell is no ordinary domestic call-up. In March, playing for Central Stags against Northern Districts in the Plunket Shield, he obliterated the record books. On day two, he took five wickets in five consecutive deliveries. It stood as an unprecedented feat across the 254-year documented history of first-class cricket. He now carries that lethal burst into an ODI arena where India have dictated terms from ball one.
Terminating a collapse has never been New Zealand's strong suit this tour. India pocketed the opening two fixtures with clinical ease before persistent Hamilton downpours washed out the third match, preserving the visitors' 2-0 buffer. Friday's clash offers the hosts their final chance to push the series into a decider. Central Stags all-rounder Josh Clarkson will join the ranks immediately after, drafted specifically for Sunday's fifth ODI.
Randell arrives seasoned by 145 professional appearances, including five fixtures for New Zealand A and an English County Championship stint with Derbyshire. While five wickets in five balls had occurred in shorter formats—Ireland's Curtis Campher completed the trick in a domestic T20 in July 2025, and Zimbabwe Women all-rounder Kelis Ndhlovu did so at under-19 domestic level in 2024—Randell remains the only bowler to replicate it against red-ball defenses.
| Bowler | Team / Competition | Format | Year | Milestone Feat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brett Randell | Central Stags (Plunket Shield) | First-Class | 2026 | First in 254-year FC history (5 in 5) |
| Curtis Campher | Domestic T20 (Ireland) | T20 | 2025 | First male player in pro cricket (5 in 5) |
| Kelis Ndhlovu | Domestic U-19 (Zimbabwe) | T20 | 2024 | First recorded women's T20 feat (5 in 5) |
New Zealand head coach Rob Walter threw his full backing behind the debutant.
It's always a special time when a player earns their first international call-up. We're very pleased for Brett, he's been a consistent performer in domestic cricket for some time now and has earned this opportunity. There’s been a few movements throughout the series so we're fortunate to be able to bring in Brett and Josh.
The roster adjustments arrive alongside a sweeping reshuffle of New Zealand's technical bench. With a marquee Test series against India beginning on November 19, New Zealand Cricket partitioned its staff across formats. Regular bowling mentor Jacob Oram, batting coach Luke Ronchi, and strength and conditioning specialist Chris Donaldson broke camp with the white-ball squad to set up base in Wellington for red-ball prep.
Northern Districts pathway coach Mitch Renwick and strength and conditioning trainer Corey Mileys stepped into the ODI dugout instead, linking up with Walter and Martin Guptill for the final two games.
The personnel sheet shifts significantly between the remaining white-ball contests. Strike weapons Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson feature in the fourth ODI group before stepping aside for Sunday's final match, clearing roster berths for Clarkson and speedster Blair Tickner.
Fourth ODI Squad: Mitchell Santner (c), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Kristian Clarke, Jacob Duffy, Matt Fisher, Dean Foxcroft, Mitch Hay (wk), Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Nick Kelly, Brett Randell, Tim Seifert (wk), Will Young.
Fifth ODI Squad: Mitchell Santner (c), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Kristian Clarke, Josh Clarkson, Jacob Duffy, Matt Fisher, Dean Foxcroft, Mitch Hay (wk), Nick Kelly, Brett Randell, Tim Seifert (wk), Blair Tickner, Will Young.
Randell gets his trial under lights on Friday, facing an Indian batting unit that has barely flinched all tour.