Facing investigation for a scuffle at an Auckland bar, New Zealand's temperamental batsman Jesse Ryder and medium-pacer Doug Bracewell will not be considered for the second cricket Test against India starting here on February 14.
The two players got injured after a physical altercation with each other at an Auckland bar before the Test first against India which the home team won by 40 runs yesterday. Both have reportedly admitted to being at the scene of incident.
Ryder, who has a history of alcohol-related misdemeanours, and Bracewell are currently being investigated for the brawl.
"We'll be naming our second Test side tomorrow or maybe later on today and neither Jesse Ryder nor Doug Bracewell will be available for selection," New Zealand coach Mike Hesson said.
Bracewell suffered a broken foot, while Ryder also reportedly hurt his hand during the scuffle, the reasons for which are not yet known.
Neither of them was part of the first Test's playing XI but were there as cover for any possible injury breakdowns.
"There's an investigation taking place and we'll let that run its course before making any bold statements about that sort of thing. Once we get the full information and facts, we'll be in a far better position to make a statement. It's important we don't jump to conclusions without getting the full facts," Hesson said.
"We need to make sure all our players prepare themselves accordingly for Test cricket and at the moment we don't have confidence that that's the case," he added.
