Neil Wagner 'Rubbishes' Retirement Rumors; Vows To Make Comeback

image-lf9aqlyvWagner got injured during the first Test [Twitter]

New Zealand workhorse Neil Wagner displayed immense grit and courage on Day 5 of the first Test against Sri Lanka to rush for a single and dive in, despite being injured, helping his side to a memorable victory.

Playing through the pain barrier is nothing new for Wagner, who has done this several times for the Kiwis and once again proved his mantle in Christchurch. Wagner suffered a torn hamstring and a bugling disc in his back on Day 4 of the Test during his run-up, which eventually forced the bowler out for the remainder of the series.

Wagner has now come out and vowed to make a comeback into the side fully fit, rubbishing all rumours about him taking retirement post his new injury. Wagner will have ample time to recover, with the Black Caps' next Test assignment being in November.

The left-arm bowler has been dealing with bursitis in his foot since 2014, for which he took a cortisone injection ahead of the first Test to relieve the pain. 

As per Stuff, the 37-year-old talking about his injury revealed that he felt a shock wave pass through his body due to disc injury, which the bowler forgot when he came out to bat in the final over of the Test on Day 5.

Here's what Wagner said

“People might make their predictions and stuff like that and I’ve made a career out of proving people wrong. It’s definitely not the end of me. A lot of people said it could be the end of me after my first test. I think the day I call it quits is the day I call it quits probably, or when they don’t pick me again.

It was like a sniper got hold of you – that it was just this massive shock which comes from the disc nerve shock that went down my leg into my foot and a pretty big shock went through my body,"

​Both teams will head to Wellington for the second Test, which starts March 16, with New Zealand leading the two-match series 1-0.