Rachin Ravindra ruled out of second T20I against Australia due to knee injury

Rachin Ravindra has been ruled out of the second T20I between New Zealand and Australia, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) confirmed on Friday just ahead of the game.

The left-handed batsman will miss the game due to a knee problem. NZC announced that the batsman experienced pain in his left knee after the first T20I in Wellington and will now undergo treatment. His injury will be monitored over the coming days before a decision on his participation in the last T20I will be taken.

“Rachin Ravindra will miss tonight’s 2nd KFC T20I at Eden Park after experiencing pain in his left knee following the first game in Wellington.

“He will be treated and monitored over the coming days before a decision is made on his availability for the third T20I,” read the media release from NZC.

NEWS | Rachin Ravindra will miss tonight’s 2nd KFC T20I at Eden Park after experiencing pain in his left knee following the first game in Wellington.

He will be treated and monitored over the coming days before a decision is made on his availability for the third T20I. #NZvAUS pic.twitter.com/NUn13I7A3A

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) February 23, 2024

Missing Rachin Ravindra will be a big blow for New Zealand who will be aiming to win the second game to draw level in the series after losing the first T20I. The Black Caps will have to win the game to keep the three-match series alive.

The left-hander looked in fine form in the last T20I and top-scored for his team, scoring 68 off 35 balls. It was his first T20I half-century. And while Rachin Ravindra would have hoped to build on that fine innings, he will have to watch the second game from the sidelines.

New Zealand are already without Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell for the series. While Williamson is absent due to paternity leave, Mitchell is sidelined with an injury.

Also Read: Debuting as a fast bowler on Indian pitches is never easy: Irfan Pathan hails Akash Deep

Rachin Ravindra to play IPL:

Rachin Ravindra will be hoping to recover soon and be fully fit for his maiden IPL campaign. After his stunning display in last year’s ODI World Cup in India, the New Zealand youngster earned his maiden IPL contract. He was signed up by Chennai Super Kings for INR 1.8 crore. A good performance in the IPL could very well pave the way for his inclusion in New Zealand’s squad for the T20 World Cup.

Also Read: Misbah-ul-Haq lashes out on Azam Khan, asks the latter to show some discipline