Rachin Ravindra dislocated his right shoulder while attempting a diving catch during a promotional shoot with Sky in Auckland on Wednesday (September 16), putting his participation in New Zealand’s upcoming T20I series against India in doubt.
Ravindra underwent an initial assessment by medical specialists on Friday (September 18), which ruled out major structural damage. However, his return-to-play timeline will depend on his progress during the early stages of rehabilitation.
The five-match T20I series against India begins on October 22, but it remains unclear whether Ravindra will recover in time to feature.
New Zealand’s Performance Manager Mike Sandle said Ravindra landed awkwardly on a safety mat while attempting the catch during filming.
“It was a really unfortunate injury,” Sandle said. “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.”
New Zealand head coach Rob Walter said the team would take a cautious approach with Ravindra, particularly with a busy Test schedule ahead.
“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,” Walter said.
New Zealand are scheduled to announce their T20I squad for the India series early next week.
