NSW captain Peter Nevill has broken a thumb and will miss the entire domestic one-day competition.
Former Test keeper Nevill suffered the injury while batting in the nets on Monday.
Batsman Kurtis Patterson, who toured India with Australia A earlier this month, will lead the Blues in Nevill's absence.
Sydney Thunder keeper Jay Lenton is en route to Perth, where NSW start their campaign against Western Australia on Tuesday.
Nevill is upbeat he'll be fit to return for the Sheffield Shield season, which starts on October 16.
Nevill was appointed NSW skipper earlier this year, filling one of many voids left by suspended star Steve Smith.
Smith and David Warner, who will return to Sydney grade cricket on Saturday, are serving 12-month bans that preclude them from playing international cricket, but also representing NSW or taking part in the Big Bash League.
Meanwhile, Tasmania allrounder James Faulkner (calf) and South Australia paceman Daniel Worrall (back) have also suffered setbacks on the eve of their state's opening one-dayers.
Faulkner, who earned man-of-the-match honours in Australia's 2015 World Cup final win but has since fallen out of favour with national selectors, has been replaced in Tasmania's squad by paceman Gurinder Sandhu.
Allrounder Luke Robins has taken Worrall's place in South Australia's squad and could make his List A debut on Thursday, when the Redbacks start their campaign in Perth against NSW.
