Daniel Vettori, James Franklin and Jesse Ryder have been replaced by Luke Woodcock, Kyle Mills and Kane Williamson respectively for the third ODI against Pakistan in Christchurch on Saturday.
Franklin and Ryder will return to provincial cricket, while the captain will remain with the Black Caps.
The changes are part of the plan to leave no stone unturned before next month's World Cup in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
But when you have won one match in your last 12 games, it is a bold decision to leave out the captain, who also happens to be the best player.
"We are just giving someone else an opportunity," Turner said.
"What we are trying to do is give everyone in the group of 15 at least a couple of games, if we can.
Ross [Taylor] is vice-captain and there could be a situation in the World Cup where Dan is not able to play, through injury or whatever it might be.
So why shouldn't we give Ross an opportunity to captain a game or two in the series?"In Ryder's absence, Jamie How will open with Martin Guptill.
Brendon McCullum will remain in the middle order.
The top order has been a fertile topic for debate and even the experts, it seems, are split in their opinions.
"We are blessed with about three or four guys who can open almost equally," Turner said.
"Then it becomes a matter of opinion as to whether Brendon bats down or opens, or whether Jesse bats in the middle order during the World Cup, because he plays spin quite nicely.
"There are a whole host of possibilities there. And one of the reasons for flexibility, during this series, is to see how people go and maybe the picture will start to resolve itself.
"But I would say, when it comes to the order players bat in or bowl in, it is very much up to the skipper. We can make recommendations as the selection panel as to who we would prefer, but at the end of the day the captain and coach make the call."
It is experiment time, but that does not mean everyone is on board with some of the more radical moves.
Franklin's appearance at the top of the Black Caps bowling order has both surprised and confused some critics, and his brief stint at the crease yesterday did little to convince his detractors otherwise.
Franklin bowled two overs and conceded 16 runs as Pakistan raced to 31 without loss before persistent rain ruled out any further play after just 4.2 overs.
"My preference would be for our fastest, bounciest bowler to open the bowling," Turner said.
"But I understand the other rationales for doing it differently and they may well be proved right."
There has also been a lot of talk about Kane Williamson's inclusion in the World Cup squad.
There is a school of thought which suggests the 20-year-old, at this stage of his career, does not have enough scoring options to be successful at the tournament.
"We think he is such a talent that he will adjust his game. We'd like to think that the rest of the games he will play for ND and the Black Caps through this series will bring him more up to speed with the sort of tempo that is required," Turner said.
"He is very conscious of that and he is really working on that."
