India's Injury Woes: Shikhar Dhawan Ruled Out Of T20s In New Zealand Tour

New Delhi: The Indian cricket team on Tuesday grappled with a couple of major injury concerns ahead of their away assignment against New Zealand with opener Shikhar Dhawan ruled out of the T20 series after senior pacer Ishant Sharma was ruled out of Tests.

Dhawan was ousted from the five-match T20 series starting on Friday, due to a shoulder injury he suffered while fielding in the third ODI against Australia in Bengaluru.

"Yes, he (Dhawan) has been ruled out of the T20 series. A replacement will be announced soon" a BCCI official told PTI.

India will play five T20 Internationals, three ODIs and two Tests during the tour starting with the shortest format on January 24.

Dhawan's injury troubles have carried into the new year and he did not come out to open during the successful run chase against Australia on Sunday. The southpaw was taken for an X-ray after he hurt his left shoulder during fielding at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday.

K L Rahul came out to bat in his place alongside Rohit Sharma. Dhawan was seen wearing a sling on his left hand.

The 34-year-old Dhawan did not take the field for the entire duration of the Australian innings in the second ODI after a Pat Cummins bouncer hit him on the rib cage while batting. Dhawan missed the entire limited overs series against West Indies last month.

He also had to pull out of the 2019 World Cup due to a fractured thumb, an injury he suffered against Australia. In the same game, he had scored a match-winning hundred.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson and talented opener Prithvi Shaw replaced injured India opener Shikhar Dhawan for the upcoming T20 and ODI series against New Zealand respectively.

Dhawan dislocated his shoulder while fielding in the third ODI against Australia in Bengaluru on Sunday.

Shaw returns to the senior team after a gap of one year following an ankle injury and an eight-month doping ban. Samson, who played in the T20 series against Sri Lanka earlier this month, was back as a reserve opener cum keeper.

"An MRI of his shoulder was conducted, and the results have confirmed a grade II injury of his acromio-clavicular joint. His hand will be in a sling and he has been advised rest for some time. He will start his active rehab management in the first week of February at the National Cricket Academy," BCCI media release stated.

The first T20 of the five-match series in New Zealand will be played in Auckland on Friday.

Fellow Delhi pacer Navdeep Saini is likely to replace Ishant in the squad.

Ishant was in the middle of his second Ranji Trophy this season, having played the opening home game against Hyderabad last month.

The 31-year-old is an integral part of arguably India's best ever pace attack comprising Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav.

India's T20I squad: Virat Kohli (C), Rohit Sharma (VC), Sanju Samson, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant (WK), Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Navdeep Saini, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur

India's ODI squad: Virat Kohli (C), Rohit Sharma (VC), Prithvi Shaw, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant (WK), Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Navdeep Saini, Shardul Thakur, Kedar Jadhav.

(PTI)