Nat Seaver-Brent is a huge fitness concern for England ahead of the home T20 World Cup as the skipper has been ruled out of the series against New Zealand and India with a calf injury.
The influential all-rounder initially missed the three one-day internationals against New Zealand with what England said was a “minor tear” in her left calf.
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Further scans on Monday revealed the 33-year-old will require a “longer recovery” with the World Cup less than a month away.
Seaver Brunt will miss the three T20 matches against world champions New Zealand starting in Derby on Wednesday and the subsequent three T20 matches against India.
The unavailable Charlie Dean will once again lead England in the absence of Seaver Brunt.
It is thought England are not worried about Seaver Brunt’s availability for the World Cup, rather the skipper simply needs more time to recover from the injury she sustained against the Flames against Warwickshire at the end of April.
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Seaver Brunt was part of the team in the one-day series against New Zealand, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
However, even if Seaver-Brent is able to feature in the World Cup opener against Sri Lanka at Edgbaston on June 12, she may lack match practice – she has only featured twice since the conclusion of the Women’s Super League in January.
After the series against India, England will play two World Cup warm-up games – against Australia in Cardiff on June 8 and against India at the same venue on June 10.
Opener Danny Wyatt-Hodge will also miss the series against New Zealand as her wife is giving birth to their first child.
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As a result, Hampshire’s Maia Bouchier and Warwickshire’s Charis Pavely joined the team as substitutes.
Dean will become the 11th woman to captain England in T20 internationals when she leads the side against the Black Ferns on Wednesday.
The 25-year-old took charge of the one-day series after Dean said she expected Sciver-Brunt to return in the T20 matches.
When asked if she is ready to captain the team at the World Cup if required, Dean said: “Captaining the team in ODIs feels like the perfect time to get a little experience ahead of the World Cup.
“All going well, Nat will be fine. I have no doubt if anything happens, I feel like these games will give me a confidence boost to do the job at hand.”
