Follow UsNew Zealand and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) pacer, Will O’Rourke has been ruled out for at least three months of cricketing action, a press release from New Zealand Cricket (NZC) confirmed on August 26 (Tuesday).
According to the release, the bowler, who once floored India in the Bengaluru Test of 2024, which was O’Rourke’s only fifth Test, will miss New Zealand’s white-ball series against Australia, England and West Indies. He might only be ready by December to take the field again, when the Blackcaps will play West Indies in three Tests.
O’Rourke, who took four wickets in India’s first innings in Bengaluru, which included the prized scalps of Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal, also featured in three T20s in IPL 2025 for LSG, picking six wickets with the best of 3/37.
"We're really feeling for Will at the moment and wishing him a speedy recovery. He's had such an impressive start to his career and so naturally it is disappointing when an injury like this comes along, but he's a resilient guy and determined to put the work in and come back stronger,” Rob Walter, head coach of New Zealand, said about O’Rourke’s injury in the press release.
"We're very hopeful about that [three-month time frame]. Stress fractures are obviously almost part and parcel of the craft, really, but never nice when it does happen. At this stage, we will reassess after that three-month mark, hopefully the healing process has gone really well, and we can get into that return to play,” he added, detailing the 24-year-old’s comeback plan.
The right-arm pacer featured in 11 Tests, before picking up the injury during the first Test of the two-match series against Zimbabwe in July this year.