Black Caps coach Mike Hesson has said that his captain's ongoing back injury means they can no longer risk calling on Brendon McCullum to wear the gloves in any form of the game, according to reports.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the 32-year-old has been a wicketkeeper through most of his 12-year international career but has been eased out of the role in recent seasons, most notably at Test level where BJ Watling has proved a capable gloveman.
McCullum kept wicket for 52 of his 81 Tests, 185 of 220 one-day internationals and 42 of 62 Twenty20 internationals, the report said.
He played down speculation before the home series against the West Indies that he was considering retirement, the report added.
Hesson said that McCullum was too valuable a player for New Zealand to consider using him as a keeper.