Cricket-New Zealand's Ravindra back at training after hit in face by ball

Ravindra Energy

14/02/2025 01:42

Feb 14 (Reuters) - New Zealand all-rounder Rachin
Ravindra has eased back into training after being struck in the
face by the ball in a fielding mishap but he still has
concussion protocols to pass before returning to the field,
coach Gary Stead said.
    Ravindra lost sight of the ball in the floodlights when
attempting a catch and was hit in the forehead during a warm-up
match for the Champions Trophy against Pakistan in Lahore last
Saturday.
    Though Ravindra passed his first Head Injury Assessment
(HIA) immediately after the blow, Stead revealed the 25-year-old
had suffered headaches in the following days and would need to
tick off further HIA's to be passed fit.
    He will therefore play no part in the ODI tri-series final
against Pakistan in Karachi later on Friday and appears unlikely
to be selected for the Champions Trophy opener against the hosts
next Wednesday in the same city.
    "He's had a headache for a few days but that's, I guess,
subsiding which is really good news," Stead said in Karachi,
declining to put a time-line on Ravindra's return.
    "He had a few balls tonight for the first time, which is
good, but there's still a few more steps for him to go through
before he would be considered fit to play."
    There was better news for pace bowler Lockie Ferguson, who
Stead expected to return to action for Sunday's Champions Trophy
warmup against Afghanistan in Karachi, if not for the tri-series
final.
    Ferguson suffered a hamstring strain while playing in the
United Arab Emirates' ILT20 competition.
    Having played plenty of cricket in Pakistan and with star
batsman Kane Williamson firing on all cylinders, New Zealand
will head into the rebooted Champions Trophy hopeful of winning
their second title and first since the 2000 tournament in Kenya.
    

 (Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Michael
Perry)
 ((ian.ransom@thomsonreuters.com; Follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/MyRansomNotes;
 +61 3 9286 1447;))