Rachin Ravindra in doubt for India T20I series: Here's why
What's the story
New Zealand all-rounder Rachin Ravindra has dislocated his right shoulder while trying to take a diving catch during a promotional shoot in Auckland. The injury occurred earlier this week and was confirmed by New Zealand Cricket (NZC). Despite the setback, initial assessments have ruled out any major structural damage. However, the exact duration of his recovery and return to play remains uncertain.
Recovery timeline
When will Ravindra return?
The NZC statement on Ravindra's injury didn't mention how long he would be out of action.
However, it did say that his return would depend on "his progress during the first weeks of his rehabilitation."
This means that while there is no major damage, the exact time for his recovery and return to play will depend on how well he responds to rehab in the coming weeks.
Incident details
NZC reviews processes around commercial shoots after Ravindra's injury
Ravindra's injury occurred when he landed awkwardly on a safety mat while trying to catch a ball during filming.
NZC Performance Manager Mike Sandle said, "It was a really unfortunate injury."
He added that all activities involving players in commercial shoots are agreed upon in advance by all parties, with appropriate safety measures.
"It was a bit of a freak accident," Sandle said, adding that they will review their processes around such events in the future.
Upcoming matches
New Zealand's upcoming series
New Zealand's next cricketing assignment is over a month away, with their all-format home tour against India starting with T20Is on October 22.
The squad for this series will be announced next week.
However, due to Ravindra's injury and the uncertainty of his recovery timeline, it remains unclear if he will be part of this series.
Notably, the all-rounder has been impressive in T20Is, scoring 759 runs at a strike rate of 135.29 and taking 26 wickets at a fine economy of 6.98.
Coach's comment
We don't want to rush Rachin back, says Rob Walter
New Zealand's head coach Rob Walter said they aren't going to rush Ravindra back into action.
"With a heavy schedule of Test cricket in the next six months, we don't want to rush Rachin back sooner than we need to," he said.
Walter assured that Ravindra is in good hands for his rehab and they look forward to welcoming him back soon.