Reece Topley's IPL future in Jeopardy Following Shoulder Dislocation
Reece Topley picked the important wicket of Cameron Green before being injured (IPLT20.com)
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) Director of Cricket, Mike Hesson, has divulged further details on the injury sustained by Reece Topley during the team's inaugural match of the IPL 2023 against the Mumbai Indians on Sunday at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
The left-arm pacer from England showed glimpses of his brilliance early in the game, having bowled an inswinger to dismiss fellow debutant Cameron Green. He was also agile in the field, saving runs for his side.
Unfortunately, Topley's fortunes took a turn for the worse when his knee accidentally dug into the ground while fielding, causing him to dislocate his shoulder. As a result, he had to be taken off the field by the medical team.
Providing an update on Topley’s injury, Hesson expressed his disappointment about the injury, stating that his knee dug into the ground before landing on his shoulder, which resulted in the dislocation. He mentioned that the medical team was fortunate to have been able to put it back in.
"Unfortunately, Topley's knee dug into the ground and then he obviously landed on his shoulder and dislocated it. It was lucky enough that we were able to pop it back in." Hesson said on RCB Game Day.
The 48-year-old further stated that Topley is currently undergoing a scan to determine the extent of the damage. He reckoned that such injuries were not favourable and hoped for good initial reports, allowing the Englishman to rejoin the team. If not, Hesson acknowledged that the team would need to consider their options.
"He is off having a scan at the moment. When it happens it is not a good thing, so we hope that the initial reports come back nicely and Reece can join us. If not, then obviously we will have to see what happens," concluded the former New Zealand coach.
If Topley is unable to make a speedy recovery, it could present a significant challenge for RCB as they are already dealing with the loss of key players such as Josh Hazlewood and Rajat Patidar.
It is worth noting that the southpaw was acquired by RCB at the IPL 2023 mini-auction and secured a position in the playing XI due to Hazlewood's unavailability. The 29-year-old had missed the T20 World Cup 2022 due to injury, having twisted his ankle while slipping on the boundary sponge at the Gabba in the lead-up to the tournament.
In the meantime, RCB managed to kick off their IPL 2023 campaign in a positive manner, emerging victorious over the Mumbai Indians by eight wickets. They are now scheduled to face the Rajasthan Royals on April 5 at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati.