Cricket: Anderson back for Black Caps

Black Caps bowler Corey Anderson. Photo / Alan Gibson.

Hard-hitting allrounder Corey Anderson is back in the New Zealand team for their ODI series in India.

Lefthander Anderson will play as a specialist batsman in his first outing for New Zealand since injuring his back last February.

He showed his readiness to return during the three-game series between a New Zealand XI and an Emerging XI at Lincoln last week.

Three other players return to the ODI game - Northern Districts allrounder Anton Devcich, Otago's Jimmy Neesham, who is also in the test squad, and test wicketkeeper BJ Watling.

Middle order batsman Henry Nicholls drops out of the squad, while four players were unavailable due to injury - fast bowlers Mitch McClenaghan and Adam Milne, batsman George Worker and pugnacious allrounder Colin Munro.

National selector Gavin Larsen spoke highly of Anderson's professionalism during his rehab process.

"We're excited to have him back. He provides power through the middle order and knows the conditions in India well."

Twelve of the 15 are already in India as part of the test squad. The others leave New Zealand on Sunday. The first game in the ODI series is at Dharamsala on October 16.

New Zealand squad for the five-game ODI series against India: Kane Williamson (c), Martin Guptill, Anton Devcich, Ross Taylor, Tom Latham, BJ Watling, Luke Ronchi, Corey Anderson, Jimmy Neesham, Doug Bracewell, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry, Trent Boult.