KEY POINTS:
New Zealand internationals Kyle Mills and Jacob Oram have been passed fit to contest the inaugural Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament beginning next week.
The pair both passed fitness tests in Christchurch on Tuesday - Mills on his knee and Oram his hip - proving they had overcome the niggles that ruled them out of the third test against England last month.
Mills flies out tomorrow to link with his Mohali team while Oram will join teammates, including compatriot Stephen Fleming, at Chennai before the lucrative 59-game league begins on April 18.
"We both passed with flying colours so we're getting packed and getting ready to go to India," Mills told Radio Sport today.
The other New Zealanders to contest the IPL will be Brendon McCullum at Kolkata, Daniel Vettori at Delhi, Scott Styris at Hyderbad and Ross Taylor at Bangalore.
Those who have been selected for New Zealand's tour of England - captain Vettori, Oram, McCullum, Mills and Taylor will play a maximum of four games each before joining the tour from May 1.
Mills was looking forward to the experience in India.
"I have the feeling it's going to be a really intense competition," he said.
"It's all the best players in world cricket coming together. They're not going to slacken off.
"We get the feeling it's going to be around a long time and that it is going to expand."
- NZPA
