New Zealand all-rounder Rachin Ravindra sustained a freak injury after attempting a diving catch for a promotional shoot with a broadcaster on Wednesday, September 16. The 26-year-old is likely to have suffered a dislocated shoulder, which puts him in doubt for the home five-match T20I series against India, starting on October 22.
Initial tests reportedly clear Rachin Ravindra of any serious damage to his shoulder, but the extent of the injury and a timeline for his return are yet to be determined.
“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 performance manager Mike Sandle said in a statement.
New Zealand has a jam-packed schedule lined up beginning with the all-format series against India, followed by a crucial red-ball tour of Australia. Head coach Rob Walter stated that the team will not rush Rachin Ravindra back into action , as the priority remains the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, where the Blackcaps rank third for the time being.
“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,” Rob Walter said.
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) is expected to announce the squads for the home series against India soon.
Rachin Ravindra’s last on-field appearance came during The Hundred 2026
The New Zealand all-rounder featured for the Washington Freedom and the Welsh Fire in the Major League Cricket (MLC) 2026 and The Hundred 2026 in recent months. He had underwhelming individual campaigns in both competitions, scoring at an average of below 25.00 for both teams.
Rachin Ravindra also has a dismal record against India in T20Is. The southpaw has scored only 89 runs in seven appearances at an average of 12.71. In his last meeting against the Men in Blue during the T20 World Cup 2026 Final in Ahmedabad, he was dismissed for just 1.
Edited by Gokul Nair