Follow UsJhye Richardson, Australia and Perth Scorchers quick, announced that his cricketing summer for 2024-25 ended on January 12 (Sunday) as he decided that he would undergo shoulder surgery to try and prolong his career and be fully fit, without any limitations for the next summer which includes the all-important Ashes.
"After careful consideration and many discussions with my medical team, I've decided to undergo shoulder surgery to improve stability and reduce the risk of future injury," a statement from the 28-year-old read. He has so far played just five games in Big Bash League (BBL) 2024-25.
The Western Australia bowler, who can swing the willow well too, batting at numbers eight and nine, has not been himself in the field of late. He has been hesitating to use his right arm, the bowling shoulder to throw from the outfield. He had neither been diving, nor going for overhead catches, making him a liability in the field.
"For the past few years, I have been limited by my shoulder in the field and know how increasingly important it is to be capable to back-up my teammates. While it's a tough call, especially as it means I won't be able to finish the season with the Scorchers, this is the best option to set me up for a strong and healthy return to cricket,” he said.
The pacer has had two surgeries on his shoulder and one on his hamstring since first dislocating the shoulder in 2019. Therefore, Richardson doesn’t want to rush anything now and wants to give himself all the time to recover fully before returning to cricket. Earlier this season, he injured his shoulder while celebrating a wicket.
"The timing of the surgery is crucial to ensure I have the best possible build-up, including Shield cricket leading into next summer. I'll be giving everything I've got to the rehab process, determined to come back as the best version of myself,” added the man with experience of playing three Tests 18 T20Is and 11 ODIs for the Australian senior team.