There are changes aplenty for the White Ferns as they get together for their first time since the T20 World Cup in June.

The 15-strong squad, led by captain Amelia Kerr, have flown to Sydney for three T20 Internationals (T20Is), a series that was originally due to take place next February but was rescheduled after the International Cricket Council rescheduled the T20 Champions Trophy to then, instead of taking place from mid-2027.

Eleven of the 15 players chosen for the World Cup are back, with Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine and Lea Tahuhu having now retired from the international stage and wicketkeeper batter Izzy Gaze unavailable for selection following surgery to an ongoing thumb injury.

Batter Bella James, off-spinner Eden Carson and pace bowlers Molly Penfold and Hannah Rowe return to take on the world champions Australia in Sydney.

Rowe, who turned 30 earlier this month, made her White Ferns debut in 2015 and has represented her country in 60 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and 47 T20Is. But she hasn’t started for her country since March 2025 in the 50-over format and since September 2024 in the 20-over game.

“The phone call came a little while ago now and I was super stoked to be back with the group. I’ve been watching from the sidelines for a while now and I’m really excited to get back out there and to start with a series against Australia is pretty exciting,” Rowe, who is originally from Palmerston North but is now based in Hawke’s Bay, says.

“I think the hunger is always there on tour, whether you’re running the drinks on or playing, or back at home training. Every time you’re dropped, there’s definitely that desire to really get better and get back out there and also for me, it means that now every time I get to play hopefully from now, it’s just relishing in that moment a little bit more.”

Rowe has continued to argue her case for selection not only through her domestic form with the Central Hinds but via two New Zealand A tours, to England in 2025 and Sri Lanka in May this year, when they played three 50-over games and three T20s. With Rowe now returning to the senior team as one of their most experienced players, continuing to stay involved via those tours has been invaluable.

“We have leaned massively on those older players in the past and I think, for me personally, going over to Sri Lanka earlier in the year on the A tour, that was pretty cool,” Rowe says.

“When you’re surrounded by a younger group of girls [on the A tours], you realise sometimes that you have actually got quite a lot of experience and more to offer than you sometimes think, so hopefully for me it’s just the challenge of bringing that confidence I had there back into this group.”

Rowe is reunited with Central Hinds teammates Rosemary Mair and Flora Devonshire in the squad, and the three of them are excited to be pitting themselves against the world’s best in their own backyard.

“You can feel it even just within our training group in Hawke’s Bay. The energy lifts a little bit when you’re playing Australia, or you’re about to play them. Knowing you’re about to test yourself against the best there is is cool and I enjoy the hype and the excitement of that,” she says.

There have also been changes off the field, with head coach Ben Sawyer departing after four years at the helm and the team manager role held by Rachel Pettit being disestablished, following a comprehensive review process of the New Zealand Cricket women’s high-performance structure. Incumbent assistant coach Craig McMillan will not be with the squad as he recovers from back surgery.

Dean Brownlie, who has been the White Ferns batting coach since late 2022, will take over as interim head coach, and will be joined for this series by former Black Caps Martin Guptill, who will provide specialist batting and fielding support, and Andre Adams, who previously toured with the squad in 2017 and 2023.

“At a time where, as a group, there’s a lot of change, to have two people of that quality step in is pretty awesome,” Rowe says.

“I haven’t had much to do with Guppy [Guptill] but watching him as a fan, as a fielder, and the way he goes about batting, I think he’ll add a lot to the group.”

“Andre definitely brings a real different element to a lot of other coaches. He talks a lot about mindset and I’m excited to work with him again for sure.”

Before playing the White Ferns, Australia completed a three-match ODI series sweep against Bangladesh in Brisbane, which has been their first action since defeating England in the T20 World Cup final at Lord’s in July. It’s a predictably strong squad, likely to be led by captain Sophie Molineux, although her fitness is being monitored as she recovers from a hip injury.

But the build-up to both series has seen prominent Australian players speak out about their fears regarding the scheduling of their home internationals, with all three games against the White Ferns in Sydney taking place on school nights. After that, their next games on home soil are in March, when New Zealand return for an ODI series. In addition, as things stand, there will be no domestic Big Bash League or international cricket for the women’s game during the school holidays in Australia for the next three years.

Veteran wicketkeeper-batter Beth Mooney recently gave her thoughts to the Australian Associated Press.

“We don’t want to be the sport that falls behind because we’re just getting it wrong,” she said.

“We’re just pushing it uphill, because we’re in a bad timeslot and it’s a bad time of year for parents. They’re not dragging their kid out to watch a 7pm T20 on a Tuesday night or whatever it is. That’s going to stop girls getting into the game, because parents aren’t going to take them.”

It’s a stark reminder that even the world’s best have a battle to stay as relevant as they can to fans. The White Ferns will be looking to make sure that’s not all they have to worry about.

White Ferns squad

Amelia Kerr – Wellington Blaze (captain)

Eden Carson – Otago Sparks

Flora Devonshire – Central Hinds

Maddy Green – Auckland Hearts

Brooke Halliday – Auckland Hearts

Bree Illing – Auckland Hearts

Polly Inglis – Otago Sparks

Bella James – Otago Sparks

Jess Kerr – Wellington Blaze

Rosemary Mair – Central Hinds

Nensi Patel – Northern Brave

Molly Penfold – Auckland Hearts

Georgia Plimmer – Wellington Blaze

Hannah Rowe – Central Hinds

Izzy Sharp – Canterbury Magicians

Schedule – All games at North Sydney Oval

1st T20I – Sunday, October 18 (9.15pm NZT)

2nd T20I – Tuesday, October 20 (9.15pm NZT)

3rd T20I – Thursday, October 22 (9.15pm NZT)

This story was originally published at Newsroom.co.nz and is republished with permission.