Australian bowler Jhye Richardson's season ends prematurely with shoulder surgery
What's the story
Fast bowler Jhye Richardson, who is contracted with Cricket Australia, is set to undergo his third shoulder surgery.
The medical procedure will end his season with the Perth Scorchers prematurely.
Although the team could make the Big Bash League (BBL) finals, Richardson's main aim is to recover fully in time for the 2025-26 Ashes series.
Here are further details.
Injury history
A recurring issue
Richardson, 28, has a long history of shoulder problems, starting with a dislocation during an ODI in March 2019.
He has had a couple of surgeries on his right bowling shoulder ever since.
Despite the surgeries, Richardson has had multiple dislocations, including one while celebrating after taking a wicket on his Sheffield Shield return in November last year.
Fielding challenges
Shoulder instability impacts fielding performance
Richardson's shoulder instability has severely impacted his fielding.
A once lively presence on the field, he now has limitations in the outfield owing to his inability to throw.
He has taken to bowling balls to the wicket-keeper from the outfield or underarming from a short distance, and has avoided diving after suffering multiple dislocations while doing so.
Team decisions
A factor in team selection
Despite his shoulder problems, Richardson was deemed fit enough to be included in the Test squad for the fourth and fifth Test matches against India in Melbourne and Sydney. However, he didn't play.
The right-arm seamer was also not included for the Test tour of Sri Lanka, with Australia going with Sean Abbott as the third pacer alongside Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland.
Surgery announcement
Richardson's shoulder surgery decision and future plans
The decision for Richardson's surgery was taken a week ago and announced by CA just a day before Scorchers's next match against Sydney Thunder.
In a statement, Richardson said, "After careful consideration and many discussions with my medical team, I've made the decision to undergo shoulder surgery to improve stability and reduce the risk of future injury."
He expressed his commitment to rehab and determination to return as "the best version" of himself.