Christchurch: New Zealand all-rounder Rachin Ravindra’s availability for the upcoming five-match T20I series against India has been thrown into doubt after he suffered a dislocated right shoulder during a promotional shoot in Auckland.
Ravindra sustained the injury while attempting a diving catch during filming Wednesday. New Zealand Cricket said the left-hander landed awkwardly on a safety mat while completing the attempt.
Medical specialists assessed the injury Friday and found no major structural damage. However, Ravindra’s return to competitive action will depend on how he responds to rehabilitation over the coming weeks, leaving his participation in the series against India uncertain.
“It was a really unfortunate injury. We’re gutted for Rachin and our key priority is making sure he recovers well and gets back on the field as soon as he can. As with all commercial shoots involving our players, the activities were agreed in advance by all parties, with appropriate safety measures in place. It was a bit of a freak accident, and we’ll continue to review our processes around events like this in the future,” said Mike Sandle, New Zealand’s Performance Manager.
The five-match T20I series is scheduled to begin October 22, with New Zealand set to announce its squad next week. Ravindra’s recovery will therefore be closely monitored before a decision is made on his involvement.
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Black Caps head coach Rob Walter indicated that the team would take a cautious approach to the injury, particularly with an extensive Test schedule awaiting Ravindra.
“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’s in great hands in terms of his rehab and we look forward to welcoming him back soon,” said Walter.
Ravindra has established himself as a key member of New Zealand’s white-ball setup. He has played 52 T20Is, accumulating 759 runs at a highest score of 69, while also taking 26 wickets, including best figures of 4/27.
The New Zealand squad for the India series is expected to be announced next week, with Mitchell Santner tipped to captain the side against the defending T20 World champions.
