AUCKLAND, Aug 19: Fast bowler Shane Bond and all-rounder Chris Cairns are notable absentees from the New Zealand Test squad for next month’s tour of India.

New Zealand Cricket selection manager Richard Hadlee said Bond was still recovering from a stress fracture in his back while Cairns’s partner was due to have a baby during the test series. He will join the one-day team later.

Bond is close to beginning fitness training, but NZC medical advisor Warren Frost said it would be safer if he delayed his comeback until Pakistan tour New Zealand in December.

Batsman Nathan Astle has recovered from a knee injury that kept him out of April’s tour to Sri Lanka and is in both squads.

All-rounder Andre Adams, who had been a regular since making his test debut against England in 2002, has been dropped after a poor run of form, though batsman Craig McMillan, dropped for much of the home series against India and the tour of Sri Lanka, has been recalled.

Medium-fast bowler Michael Mason, who was picked for the Tests against India last year but did not play, and batsman Richard Jones who went to Sri Lanka were both retained.

Test squad: Stephen Fleming (captain), Nathan Astle, Ian Butler, Robbie Hart, Richard Jones, Michael Mason, Craig McMillan, Jacob Oram, Mark Richardson, Scott Styris, Daryl Tuffey, Daniel Vettori, Lou Vincent, Paul Wiseman.

One-day squad: Fleming (captain), Astle, Butler, Chris Cairns, Chris Harris, Paul Hitchcock, Brendon McCullum, McMillan, Kyle Mills, Oram, Styris, Tuffey, Vettori, Vincent.—Reuters