McCullum injury can unsettle team's balance: Vettori

The thumb injury to key batsman Brendon McCullum has unsettled the balance of New Zealand team ahead of the second one-dayer against India, skipper Daniel Vettori said.

The thumb injury to key batsman Brendon McCullum has unsettled the balance of New Zealand team ahead of the second one-dayer against India, skipper Daniel Vettori said.

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"It is not great news. Obviously, the balance that Brendon brings into the squad is undermined by his ability not to keep," Vettori told reporters on the match eve.

"But Pete (Peter McGlashan) has been in pretty good form for the Northern Districts. So we are hoping he can replicate that and it doesn't unsettle the team too much," Vettori said trying to put a brave face.

Asked if McCullum would be fit for the game, the bespectacled 30-year-old captain said he was optimistic.

"It is funny with Brendon. We seem to have had a lot of fitness tests with him and he seems to have come through them all. He is a pretty belligerent guy and he wants to play every game possible. I would err on the side of optimism with him but we just have to wait and see just how it goes."

Vettori, however, sounded uncomfortable at the prospect of McCullum not playing on Saturday.