New Zealand all-rounder Rachin Ravindra is in doubt for the upcoming five-match T20I series against India after dislocating his right shoulder during a Sky promotional shoot in Auckland on Wednesday, September 16, 2026. The injury occurred when Ravindra came down awkwardly on a safety mat as he attempted a diving catch during filming.
Specialists carried out an initial medical review on Friday, September 18, 2026, and the assessment cleared him of any major structural damage. Even so, how quickly he can return to the field will be determined by the progress he makes in the early phase of his rehabilitation programme.
The five-match T20I series against India is scheduled to get under way on October 22, 2026. New Zealand were set to name their squad for the series during the week of September 22, 2026, and it remained uncertain at the time of reporting whether Ravindra would be fit to be considered for selection.
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What did New Zealand management say about the incident?
New Zealand Performance Manager Mike Sandle addressed the circumstances of the shoot and the safety protocols that were in place. Sandle confirmed that Ravindra had landed awkwardly on the safety mat while going for the catch during filming, and he acknowledged that the team would look at how such events are managed going forward.
“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,” said Sandle as quoted by Cricbuzz.
Sandle also described the injury as ‘a really unfortunate injury’, reflecting the disappointment within the camp at losing a key player to an off-field incident so close to an international series.
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How will New Zealand handle Ravindra’s recovery ahead of the T20I series?
Head coach Rob Walter made clear that the management would not place any pressure on Ravindra to return before he is fully ready. Walter pointed specifically to a demanding Test schedule over the next six months as the reason for taking a measured approach to the all-rounder’s rehabilitation.
“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.
Ravindra is a key contributor with both bat and ball for the Black Caps across formats, and his absence would represent a significant gap in New Zealand’s T20I plans. With the squad announcement due in the week of September 22, 2026, the management faces an early selection decision ahead of the October 22 series opener against India.
