Auckland, May 2:
New Zealand white ball skipper Mitchell Santner will be out of action for at least a month due to a grade three ACL shoulder injury he sustained during the Indian Premier League.
The 34-year-old injured his left shoulder while fielding during Mumbai Indians’ match against the Chennai Super Kings on April 23.
“Santner returned home to New Zealand this week and saw a specialist this morning who confirmed a rest and rehabilitation period of at least one month,” New Zealand Cricket said on Friday.
The spin-bowling all-rounder, who took a fine diving catch to dismiss CSK’s Kartik Sharma off Jasprit Bumrah but hit his shoulder and head on the ground, will thus be unavailable for the one-off Test against Ireland and the first Test against England.
“His availability for the second and third Tests to be evaluated at a later date,” NZC said.
The one-off four-day Test against Ireland begins at Stormont in Belfast on May 27, with the three Tests against England to be played at Lord’s (June 4-8), The Oval (June 17-21) and Trent Bridge (June 25-29), respectively.