Jhye Richardson’s summer is over, with the Australian fast bowler preparing to undergo surgery on his troublesome right shoulder later this week following another frustrating injury setback.
The luckless 28-year-old, who has an unfortunate history with injury, has chosen to go under the knife to reduce the risk of further damage and limitations on his bowling arm.
The decision follows extensive consultation with medical specialists and comes after a freak shoulder dislocation in November, caused by high-fiving his teammates while celebrating a wicket during a Sheffield Shield match at Adelaide Oval.
Cricket Australia hopes the West Australian quick will recover before next summer’s Ashes campaign against England, which gets underway in late November.
“After careful consideration and many discussions with my medical team, I’ve made the decision to undergo shoulder surgery to improve stability and reduce the risk of future injury,” Richardson said in a statement.
“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.
“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.
“Thanks for all the support, and I can’t wait to be back stronger for summer 2025/2026.”
Richardson, who has represented Australia in three Tests and 15 ODIs since his international debut in 2017, also underwent surgery on his right shoulder back in 2020. Twelve months earlier, he was named in Australia’s squad for the 2019 World Cup campaign in England, but missed the tournament due to a shoulder injury.
In March 2023, the right-armer went under the knife again to mend his hamstring, subsequently missing that year’s World Cup and the Indian Premier League, where he was set to play for the Mumbai Indians on a $270,000 contract.
Last summer, Richardson sustained a side strain in January that ruled him out of the second half of the Big Bash League campaign with the Perth Scorchers.
Having been offered a national contract earlier this year, Richardson was added to Australia’s squad ahead of last month’s Boxing Day contest against India, but he hasn’t played a Test match since the 2021/22 Ashes series.
