Ross Taylor to undergo rehab for knee niggle

Ross Taylor, the New Zealand batsman, will undergo treatment for a niggle in his knee over the following week. Taylor had aggravated an injury to his patella tendon after returning from the tour of Bangladesh, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) said in a release, but it is not serious and he could be fit in time for the Plunket Shield game that begins on November 26 following rehabilitation.

Taylor and captain Brendon McCullum had been rested for the tour to Sri Lanka to allow them to prepare for the home Test series against West Indies. McCullum also had to address a back issue, which kept him out of the final two games against Bangladesh. He has begun "light training" this week, the NZC release said, and is likely to be ready to play the tour game against West Indies that starts on November 27.

In McCullum's absence, batsman Kane Williamson was supposed to lead the side in Sri Lanka, but suffered a fractured thumb himself. He now has "movement in his left thumb", NZC said, and "will have an update on when he can return to cricket when he sees his specialist again next week".

The statement also confirmed that opener Martin Guptill - who returned to first-class cricket this week after a long layoff due to surgery on his right ankle and a fractured finger - had retired hurt during the ongoing Plunket Shield game only as a "precaution". He had made 62 for Auckland in his first game since September, before tightness in his hamstring caused him to retire overnight. He later returned, at the fall of the fifth wicket, and finished with 85.