The all-rounder Rachin Ravindra has sustained an injury to his right shoulder while attempting a diving catch during a promotional shoot with Sky in Auckland, raising concerns over his availability for the upcoming T20I series against India next month.
He dislocated his shoulder and underwent an assessment by medical experts on September 18, which ruled out major damage. However, his return to play will depend on his recovery progress during the rehabilitation.
“Initial assessments by medical specialists … have cleared major structural damage, but Ravindra’s return to play timeline will be determined by his progress during the first weeks of his rehabilitation,” said a New Zealand statement.
The 26-year-old has played around 115 matches across formats, slotting in the top or middle order and also comes in handy with left-arm finger spinner.
He was New Zealand’s highest run-scorer during the 2023 ODI World Cup and highest wicket-taker during the 2026 T20 World Cup, where the side reached the finals.
Speaking on his injury update, New Zealand’s performance manager Mike Sandle said, “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.”
New Zealand head coach Rob Walter said that the team would take a cautious approach on Rachin ahead of the hectic Test schedule.
“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.
