Tuesday’s game in Mount Maunganui will be the third McCullum has missed since he was injured on December 28 while fielding against Sri Lanka in the second game of the five-match series.

Coach Mike Hesson initially said McCullum, who will retire from international cricket after next month’s Tests against Australia, had a chance of completing the Sri Lanka series. But Hesson said on Monday that the skipper will not be considered until the first ODI against Pakistan in Wellington on January 25.

“He’s really struggling,” Hesson said. “He hasn’t progressed as well as we’d thought. He will get a further assessment.”

McCullum had already announced he would sit out the Twenty20 matches against Sri Lanka and Pakistan as he will not be going to the World Cup in March. Fast bowler Tim Southee, who suffered a foot injury in the third ODI against Sri Lanka in Nelson last Thursday, will also miss Tuesday’s game.

However, his regular new-ball partner Trent Boult returns to the side after being rested for the first four games.

With New Zealand 2-1 up, Sri Lanka need to win on Tuesday to draw the series after earlier being beaten 2-0 in the Tests.

The fourth ODI was abandoned Saturday because of heavy rain.

New Zealand are at their best playing at home, which Sri Lanka learned the hard way 12 months ago when bowling spearheads Mike Hesson and Trent Boult took 22 wickets between them as the Black Caps completed a 2-0 series whitewash.

Mathews’ side return a year later, still in a rebuilding phase, to face a settled New Zealand line-up looking for a confidence boost after losing their recent away series defeat to Australia.

‘Pace and bounce’

The Brendon McCullum-led New Zealanders are brimming with confidence in home conditions where they have not lost a Test nor a series since going down 0-1 when South Africa visited in 2011-12.

They are also a team that played better than the 0-2 scoreline in Australia last month would indicate.

“We are back in conditions we are familiar with and grounds we are familiar with and hopefully we can show the high standards we have shown over the last couple of years,” said Southee Tuesday.

“It’s typical Dunedin weather. We find it cold so I’m sure the Sri Lankans will find it even worse.”

In Australia, only opener Martin Guptill and off-spinner Mark Craig failed to shine but Hesson is prepared to keep faith with the out-of-form pair.

“Mark and Martin didn’t perform to the level they would have liked over in Australia, but both have shown in the past what they’re capable of and we’re confident they’ll make valuable contributions in the upcoming series,” he said.

“We think it’s a strong squad, but equally we’ve got a group of players on the fringe of selection who are ready to be called upon if necessary.”

Guptill aside, New Zealand are strong at the top of the order led by the impressive Kane Williamson who has averaged 89.90 in the past 12 months.

Ross Taylor has averaged 52 in the same period including a 290 against Australia while McCullum, as he showed with his 195 in the first Test against Sri Lanka a year ago, can destroy any attack once he gets going.

With New Zealand’s two leading all-rounders, Corey Anderson and Jimmy Neesham, sidelined by injury, left-arm seamer Neil Wagner, who was not required in the Australia Tests, has had his chances of a start boosted by Hesson’s call for green tops.

“I think our pitches need to be green to keep pace in them with the clay we use,” Hesson said.

“If we go in with something that looks a bit dry then it tends to turn into a bit of a dead duck. We certainly like to keep the game moving with a wicket that’s got a bit of pace and bounce.”

“ICC has reviewed the decision and acknowledged that it was incorrect,” it said on Twitter, adding that it had replied to New Zealand Cricket’s questioning of the decision. “ICC confirms the umpire followed the correct protocol, but made an incorrect judgement.”

The decision was hotly debated and criticised by television commentators and the media at the time, and drew unhappy but guarded reactions from New Zealand players Ross Taylor and Brendon McCullum, and the coach Mike Hesson because it had a significant impact on the Test.

Australia were 8 for 118 in reply to New Zealand’s 202 on the second day when Lyon top-edged an attempted sweep off left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner into his shoulder and up to slip. New Zealand’s appeal was denied on field by umpire S Ravi, and McCullum asked for a review.

After five minutes of replays, Llong upheld Ravi’s decision though there was a clear Hot Spot on the top edge of Lyon’s bat, and the batsman had walked halfway to the dressing room. There also seemed to be a deviation in the ball’s course, but nothing showed up on Snicko, which also failed to read the impact of the ball on Lyon’s shoulder.

Lyon had not scored at the time of his reprieve, and he eventually went on to make 34. Australia’s last two wickets added 108 runs in all, and earned a first-innings lead of 22. New Zealand were dismissed for 208 in their second innings, and Australia chased down the target of 187 with only three wickets in hand.