Sunrisers Hyderabad could miss the services of their star batsman Kane Williamson in the first match of the upcoming Indian Premier League. The last year’s finalists face a tough test in their season-opener as they are up against two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens.
However, there is a big chance they will have to take the field without Williamson. The New Zealand skipper still seems to be recovering from the shoulder injury that he had suffered during the second Test against Bangladesh earlier this month.
Williamson had to head to a hospital after suffering the injury during the game. He had injured his left shoulder while diving in the field during Bangladesh’s first innings. He, however, came out to bat but twice had to call out the physio and didn’t look comfortable playing some shots. And as soon as he got out, he rushed to hospital for scans. Later, scans revealed that Williamson has suffered a grade one tear to his left pectoral minor muscle.
Williamson has arrived in India but is unlikely to play in his team’s tournament-opener on Sunday. The right-handed batsman himself said that he is doubtful for the crucial clash.
“I’m in doubt for the first match, but we actually have a fairly decent break between the first and the second match which should be more than sufficient time for my injury to heal and for me to be available for selection,” Kane Williamson told stuff.co.nz.
Missing Williamson will be big blow for the Sunrisers especially in a game where a win would give them a perfect head start. The Kiwi star was their stand-out performer last season, leading the team with utmost aplomb. He was handed the captaincy at the last minute after David Warner was barred from IPL in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal and Williamson lived up to the expectations.
He scored more than 700 runs to finish the tournament as the highest run-scorer and led the team to the final.