Mitchell Santner will captain New Zealand for the first three matches of the five-match T20I series against South Africa, before Test captain Tom Latham is handed the reins for the final two matches at home.
The all-rounder was among several players who featured in the recent T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
The rotation policy is designed to maintain freshness ahead of a demanding schedule that includes the Bangladesh tour in April-May – overlapping with the IPL and PSL windows – and winter trips to England and the West Indies.
Latham, who impressed for Canterbury in both the Super Smash and Ford Trophy, is all set to play his first T20I after almost three years.
Off-spinning all-rounder Michael Bracewell continues to recover after being ruled out of the T20 World Cup due to injury.
The selectors also selected pacers Adam Milne (ankle), Blair Tickner (ankle) and Will O’Rourke (back) due to fitness concerns.
“We definitely have to be practical in picking this team,” selector Gavin Larson said in an NZC statement. “We are fortunate to have strong depth across different skill-sets, which has given us the opportunity to rest a few players and introduce a few more.
“This presents a great opportunity for many to stake their claim to continue in the T20 squad as we embark on a new World Cup cycle.”
Devon Conway is expected to keep wickets for the first three encounters, while Central Stokes’ Dane Cleaver – Kane Williamson’s cousin – will take over behind the stumps for the final two matches.
Cleaver missed last month’s Ford Trophy final with back spasms but returned to action in the Blanket Shield with 109 for Central Districts in Napier.
Cleaver’s domestic teammate Jayden Lennox is in line to make his T20I debut during the ODI series in India in January.
The 31-year-old played a key role in New Zealand’s first ever bilateral ODI series win on Indian soil, tightening up India’s right-handers with his angle across the bat.
Lennox will be the lead left-arm spinner in the final two matches following Santner’s exit.
Off-spinning all-rounder Cole Mackenzie – who proved a penchant for taking surprising wickets against left-handers during the T20 World Cup – and leg-spinner Ish Sodhi have been picked for all five matches.
Northern Braves opener Katen Clarke has earned her first Black Caps call-up. The 26-year-old, the younger brother of 2008 U-19 World Cup squad member Tamathi Clarke, scored 431 runs in nine innings with a strike rate of 170 in the Super Smash Run Chart.
During the tournament, he became the fifth player to score multiple centuries in the tournament, joining Will Young, Brendon McCullum, Conway and Glenn Phillips.
After scoring five consecutive fifties in the Super Smash, Bevon Jacobs gets a chance to unleash his power against the country of his birth.
Wellington pair Tim Robinson and Nick Kelly – the latter in contention for an ODI debut – could feature in the top order.
Jimmy Neesham and Josh Clarkson provide seam-bowling all-round options, while fast bowler Nathan Smith returns to the international fold following injury.
Kyle Jamieson and Ben Sears, both of the reserves during the T20 World Cup, will also see game time during the series.
The five-match T20I series begins on March 15 at Mount Maunganui, running alongside a women’s tie between the two countries.
“The show goes on as they say and it’s going to be a big series against South Africa, who are always strong and will be smarting from their World Cup semi-final defeat,” Larsen said.
“It’s a great opportunity for Kiwi fans to see so many of our guys back on the park so soon after the World Cup and I know the squad is looking forward to playing in front of their home crowd again.”
New Zealand T20I Squad:
Mitchell Santner (captain, matches 1-3), Katen Clarke (4-5), Josh Clarkson, Dane Cleaver (week, 4-5), Devon Conway (week, 1-3), Lockie Ferguson (2-3), Zach Foulkes, Bevon Jacobs, Kyle Lath-Gallison (4-5), Jaden Lennox (4-5), Cole McKenzie, Jimmy Neesham, Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith and Ish Sodhi.