Skipper Ross Taylor will miss the Black Caps’ one-day international cricket series against the touring South Africans because of his calf muscle injury.
Taylor has been sidelined since retiring hurt for 122 in the one-off Test against Zimbabwe in late January.
The early prognosis was that he might be available for the three-match ODI series against the Proteas beginning in Wellington next Saturday.
However, the target is now the three-Test series, which starts in Dunedin on March 7.
Team physiotherapist Paul Close said Taylor was making good progress with his rehabilitation.
He had started running and was ready to have a bat in the nets, but hadn’t recovered enough to be ready for the one-dayers.