(Cricket News) With Will O’Rourke’s hamstring to be evaluated in the coming day, New Zealand captain Tim Southee could not completely rule out the possibility of Neil Wagner being brought up from retirement for the second Test against Australia in Christchurch.

On the third day, O’Rourke exited the field five balls into his eighth over due to left hamstring soreness. He did not come out onto the field for the entire of Australia’s second innings, but on day four he batted and was able to run, though he was never forced to sprint, between the wickets.

After selecting four fast bowlers on a Basin Reserve surface that spun more than he had ever seen in his 16-year Test career, Southee conceded that New Zealand might have made a mistake in their selection for the second consecutive Test match.

In the past, Hagley Oval in Christchurch has been less conducive to spin bowling and even better for pace bowling. Wagner retired after learning he would not be selected for any of the Test matches against Australia, so if O’Rourke is ruled out, New Zealand will be without a fourth seamer in the team.

However, Southee was directly asked after the game whether Wagner could be called up for Christchurch now that New Zealand was behind 1-0 in the series, and he did not rule it out.

“As of yet, we have not had many conversations,” Southee stated. “We will watch Will’s level of hygiene. The physiotherapist has not indicated how serious it is or given a timeline. For the next few days, we will just have to wait and see how Will does. There will undoubtedly be an update in the coming day or two.

“Clearly, we need to go on and decide who enters the picture and how we envision it happening in Christchurch. Wagner has been a fan favorite for a long time, and he is had a terrific reception here during the last week where he got a couple of minutes on the field.”

See more: Will Pucovski Injured by Bouncer.