Martin Guptill faces injury race ahead of Australia tour

Martin Guptill faces a tight timeframe to be fit for New Zealand's limited-overs tour of Australia after picking up a "moderate" calf strain during the Ford Trophy one-day competition.

Guptill suffered the injury on January 3 and is targeting a return in the Super Smash for Auckland Aces on January 22, just a couple of days before the New Zealand squad is due to head across the Tasman for the tour that includes three ODIs and one T20I.

An NZC statement said Guptill "was improving and that the injury would continue to be monitored during a period of rehabilitation".

Guptill, who averages 42.23 in ODIs and 32.66 in T20Is, would be a significant loss if unable to make the tour with New Zealand expected to be without their Test players due to the MIQ requirements on return home and proximity of the series against South Africa.

The ODI series is currently set to start in Perth on January 30 but the schedule is expected to be changed because of Western Australia's border restrictions that are not due to lift until February 5. Matches are also due to be held in Hobart and Sydney before the T20I in Canberra.

The one-day series will form part of Ross Taylor's farewell to international cricket as he closes out his career with the Australia series and home matches against Netherlands following his last Test against Bangladesh.