Jhye Richardson in action© X (Twitter)
Australian quick Jhye Richardson has opted to undergo shoulder surgery, which will bring an end to his season, leaving him in a race against time to be fit for the Ashes. Contracted with Cricket Australia, Richardson has undergone two surgeries on his right bowling shoulder since initially dislocating it while fielding in an ODI in March 2019. Richardson’s last surgery was in 2020, but since then, he has endured multiple dislocations. He dislocated his shoulder again while high-fiving a teammate in celebration of a wicket during a Sheffield Shield match in November.
Following his decision to undergo surgery, the 28-year-old will remain unavailable for BBL side Perth Scorchers, who are in contention for the playoffs. He was also part of Australia’s squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the final two Tests against India.
Richardson has been plagued by injuries since making his international debut in 2017. Along with his shoulder issue, the right-arm seamer has suffered from recurring hamstring problems.
Due to his injury woes, the fielding aspect of the game has become a major challenge for Richardson. He has been limited in the outfield because he struggled to throw the ball. Even executing a dive has been a mounting task for Richardson due to his shoulder concern.
“After careful consideration and many discussions with my medical team, I’ve made the decision to undergo shoulder surgery to improve stability and reduce the risk of future injury. For the past few years, I have been limited by my shoulder in the field and know how increasingly important it is to be capable to back up my teammates,” Richardson said in the statement as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.
“While it’s a tough call, especially as it means I won’t be able to finish the season with the Scorchers, this is the best option to set me up for a strong and healthy return to cricket. The timing of the surgery is crucial to ensure I have the best possible build-up, including Shield cricket leading into next summer. I’ll be giving everything I’ve got to the rehab process, determined to come back as the best version of myself,” he added.
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