New Zealand coach Mike Hesson is devastated as Tim Southee ruled out due to injury
Jan 6, 2019 at 3:51 AM
New Zealand fast bowler Tim Southee has been ruled out of the Test series against India after suffering an ankle injury. The news comes as a major blow for the visitors as Southee was their most experienced bowler in the Test squad.
Now 24-year-old Matt Henry has been named as the replacement.
Coach Mike Hesson is devastated with Southee departure. Southee was the spearhead of the bowling department. No doubt it is a setback for New Zealand.
However, Hesson is positive about Southee’s return in India for the ODI series.
Southee injured his left ankle during a training session and a scan revealed a grade two ligament tear. He will now return to New Zealand as the team management hopes to have him back for the limited overs series that starts on October 16.
“Tim has been working hard in preparation for this tour, so he’s understandably very disappointed to be ruled out of all three Tests,” New Zealand coach Mike Hesson said on Friday (September 16).
“The focus now is for Tim to give his ankle 7-10 days rest, before slowly building his bowling loads back up ahead of the ODI series. We’ve got a replacement who is ready to go in Matt Henry and he’ll join the team before the start of the first Test.”
The first Test of the three-match series will commence on September 22. Currently, New Zealand is playing against Mumbai in a three-day practice match ahead of the first Test which starts in Kanpur in September.