The New Zealand cricket board announced the withdrawal of captain Kane Williamson and paceman Kyle Jamieson from the squad on Friday, as the Kiwis get ready to host Bangladesh in a three-match Twenty20 international series.
Williamson will undergo additional knee rehabilitation and strengthening following surgery earlier this year, while Jamieson is sidelined due to a hamstring injury.
Rachin Ravindra and Jacob Duffy will step in as replacements, with Mitchell Santner taking on the captaincy in Williamson's absence.
"We want both Kane and Kyle to be in the best possible place leading into the next block of test cricket against South Africa and Australia," coach Gary Stead said in a news release.
"Based on discussions with the medical staff and the players it was decided a period of rehabilitation and conditioning was the best option for both of them."
New Zealand clinched the ODI series against Bangladesh this week, securing the trophy with a match still to be played, which is scheduled for Saturday.
Following the conclusion of the ODI series, the two teams will face each other in the first T20I in Napier on December 27, followed by matches in Tauranga on December 29 and December 31.
The T20 series serves as part of the teams' preparations for the T20 World Cup next year, slated to be held in June in the West Indies and the United States.
NZ squad: Mitchell Santner (captain), Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Rachin Ravindra, Jacob Duffy
