One of New Zealand’s most consistent middle-order batsman, Ross Taylor, is confident of making a strong comeback after he picked up a grade one calf strain. He limped out of New Zealand’s first training session before the team’s departure to England.
Kiwi batsman Ross Taylor picked up a calf injury just before the team was gearing up to travel to England. However, it has been confirmed that he will travel with the team despite the injury. In an official statement, it was made clear that Taylor will return to batting and running next week before linking up with the Test squad ahead of their departure for England next weekend.
The right-handed batsman claimed that he had felt the tightness last week as he continued to rehab from the hamstring injury, which created problems for him at the end of his home season. However, he is confident he had time to get right before the England Tests.
New Zealand coach Gary Stead admitted that injuries this close to a tour, especially in the time of the pandemic, is a cause for concern. “You are always worried when any injuries happen, but someone of Ross’s standing and calibre as a Test player, you always have a little bit of a concern,” he told reporters on Monday.
“Fingers crossed everything is good, and we still have time on our site, but we’ll just have to wait and see what the medical team says,”
he added.
The New Zealand squad will leave for England in the middle of May ahead of the two-Test series that will start on June 2 to be followed by the World Test Championship final against India in Southampton.
Stead claimed that even if there was some doubt over Taylor’s fitness, he will travel with the squad to England.
“Ross has a great Test record behind and we want him in our team,”
he said.
However, New Zealand will have to play at least the first Test match without their IPL-based Test players, Kane Williamson, Trent Boult, Kyle Jamieson and Mitchell Santner. After arriving from India, these players would have to undergo 10-day mandatory isolation.
