Guptill scored a vital 27 not out while clearly injured with a strained left hamstring and led the Black Caps to victory on Sunday.
Now New Zealand Cricket has revealed the opener also had suffered ligament damage in his left thumb at training earlier in the month and is due to go under the knife next week, and be out of the game for six to eight weeks.
In an ideal world, he’ll return for a warm-up match against Derbyshire, his county side, on May 4.
Guptill’s hamstring injury will keep him out of Saturday’s third and deciding ODI.
New Zealand physio Paul Close said Guptill’s leg injury influenced the timing of the surgery.
“We felt it was best to get Martin right for the tour to England in May and June, so the next couple of months were seen as the best window to have the surgery,” Close said.
Guptill’s been in top form of late, averaging 50 in the three-match Twenty20 series against England.
He will be sorely missed during the three-test series in New Zealand before the Kiwis go to England for a series of Tests and ODIs.
Image via Getty
