New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra is facing a race against time to be fit for the upcoming T20I series against India after dislocating his right shoulder during a promotional shoot. The incident occurred on Wednesday, September 16, in Auckland while the cricketer was performing a diving catch for a Sky broadcast event.
Performance Manager Mike Sandle confirmed that Ravindra sustained the injury after landing awkwardly on a safety mat. While medical specialists conducted an initial assessment on Friday, September 18, and ruled out any major structural damage, the timeline for his return remains uncertain. Sandle expressed sympathy for the player, noting that the event followed established safety protocols, and described the incident as a freak accident that the team will continue to review.
With the five-match series against India set to commence on October 22, the team management is prioritizing a cautious recovery path. Head coach Rob Walter highlighted that with a demanding Test cricket schedule looming over the next six months, they have no intention of rushing the all-rounder back to action prematurely.
The squad for the India series is expected to be finalized early next week. For now, the team is focusing on ensuring Ravindra receives proper rehabilitation to secure his long-term fitness rather than risking an early return to the field. The report also notes that 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. The report also notes that and we’ll continue to review our processes around events like this in the future, it was a bit of a freak accident. The report also notes that he’s in great hands in terms of his rehab and we look forward to welcoming him back soon,” Walter said.
