Ben Sears ruled out of India Tests with knee injury
New Zealand fast bowler, Ben Sears, will miss the impending three-match Test series against India with a knee injury. Uncapped Jacob Duffy has been announced as his replacement and will leave for India on October 16. The nature of Sears's injury was confirmed after he underwent scans in last week. He had complained of discomfort in his left knee while training on the Test tour of Sri Lanka.
Sears's injury details and replacement announced
A statement from New Zealand Cricket revealed that "scans showed a tear to his meniscus," which delayed Sears's departure for India. Upon medical advice, it was decided that Sears would not participate in the India tour. The cricket board also stated that "a plan on the best course of treatment and rehabilitation for the injury will be advised in due course."
A look at Duffy's career; coach's comments
Duffy, a right-arm fast bowler, has featured in six ODIs and 14 T20Is for New Zealand. He owns 299 wickets in First-Class cricket (102 matches) and has been Otago's leading wicket-taker. New Zealand head coach Gary Stead expressed disappointment over Sears's injury but remained hopeful about his swift recovery. He also highlighted Duffy's potential contribution to the team in the upcoming Test series against India.
Stead's confidence in Duffy and upcoming Test series
Stead also added that Duffy's recent County Championship stint with Nottinghamshire strengthened his selection. He praised Duffy's performances in white-ball cricket for the Kiwis and was confident he would deliver if called upon. The first Test between New Zealand and India will begin on October 16 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, although there are fears of rain disrupting the match.
