Ashwin and Guptill not to feature for Worcestershire during the English season finale

Both club's overseas signings have been hurt by injuries.

Ravichandran Ashwin and Martin Guptill were two high profile signings for Worcestershire. | Getty

Been hit by untimely injuries, both Ravichandran Ashwin and Martin Guptill have been officially declared unfit for Worcestershire's games during the last phase of ongoing English summer. 

While India's premier off-spinner, Ashwin, had signed up to play the last few County Championship games for the club, he won't be available now after having sustained a groin injury in the ongoing Test series against England. 

Ashwin, who had stated his desire to return for a second spell this season, was not just a high profile signing but a crucial one for the club as well, as his first season for the county saw him picking up 20 wickets in just 4 games and he helped the side earn promotion to division 1. 

On the other hand, Guptill not available is a big loss too, as the club hoped to secure the explosive white-ball openers' services for Vitality T20 Blast finals on Saturday, September 16 at Edgbaston. 

While Guptill was playing really well for Barbados Tridents in the Caribbean Premier League, the side's inability to reach the knock-outs opened up an opportunity for him to comeback to the county, for which he scored a 35-ball hundred against Northamptonshire earlier. 

Talking about the development, Matt Rawnsley, Worcestershire CEO, said: "It’s a shame Ravichandran will not be able to return to us because he made such a big impact here in 2017 and was keen to come back. He has gone on record about how much he enjoyed it here last summer." and added, "But the injury he has been struggling with in the Test series against England means it is not possible and we wish him all the best and a speedy recovery."

He further added, "We are exploring our options for an overseas replacement for the final two Championship matches. The news is not good regarding Martin either. We had been in touch about whether there was a chance of him coming back for finals day."

"Anyone who witnessed his hundred against Northamptonshire will never forget it — a superb display of clean hitting. Sadly he is laid low with a hamstring injury and will not be able to return for finals day." he concluded. 

(Inputs from Worcestershire)

 
 

By Kashish Chadha - 10 Sep, 2018

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