NZ v IND 2020: Lockie Ferguson uncertain for India Tests; targets Australia series for international return

New Zealand to announce Test squad on Monday (Feb 17) for India series.

Ferguson suffered injury in his debut Test in Perth | Getty Images

New Zealand seamer Lockie Ferguson has ruled out his chances to return to the national folds for the upcoming two-match Test series against India starting February 21 in Wellington, while targeting next month's white-ball series against Australia for a comeback in March 2020.

The star bowler has been out of action for almost two months after he suffered a calf strain having bowled just 11 overs into his Test debut against Australia in Perth last December.

However, Ferguson made his return last weekend for the Auckland Aces in the Ford Trophy and even trained with the Black Caps last Friday in Auckland for the final ODI, but he isn’t really in hurry for the international comeback, as he feels that haste might increase the chances of “re-injury”.

Read Also:  "Can’t expect Bumrah to deliver each time," says Ashish Nehra; asks other bowlers to step up

Well, the right-arm fast bowler, at the moment, wants to take a conservative approach with a calf injury, saying Australia series will be a more realistic target for his return to Black Caps’ squad.

However, he is regular contact with head coach Gary Stead but presently and wants to play at domestic circuit, expecting to feature for the Auckland Aces up in the summit clash of the Ford Trophy against the Otago Volts at Eden Park Outer Oval on Sunday (February 16).

Ferguson told Stuff Media in Auckland on Friday (February 14), “Of course the goal is for me to get back as soon as possible, but there is so much cricket coming up this year. We’ve got a lot of white-ball stuff and I head away to the IPL as well, so it’s important with a calf injury, where there’s a high percentage chance of re-injury, that we be conservative.”

He continued, “Sunday’s my focus and then I’ll be looking to play some first-class cricket. It’s not an easy side to make, the New Zealand Test side. Not that it’s easy to make any of the sides, but they’ve been exceptional for so long, and especially the fast-bowling attack, that’s been very settled for a long time.”

The 28-year-old is still motivated to play Test cricket despite being considered as more of a limited-overs bowler at the international level, adding: “Since I started playing professional cricket, it has been my goal to play test cricket, because personally I feel that’s the biggest challenge.”

Ferguson signed off by saying, “I am obviously super stoked to be playing one-dayers and T20s for New Zealand, I love every moment of it, but playing red-ball has been a big goal of mine. On the day it wasn’t to be (in Perth), I only got through 11 overs, and it was really frustrating. But it’s one of those things. When you bowl quick, injuries can sometimes happen.”

(With Stuff Media Inputs)

 
 

By Rashmi Nanda - 14 Feb, 2020

    Share Via