Australian fast bowler Jason Behrendorff’s dream of playing for the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the upcoming IPL 2024 season has been shattered due to a freak training accident. The 33-year-old revealed on social media that he suffered a fractured left fibula, ruling him out of the tournament and potentially jeopardizing his participation in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in June.
“Unfortunately, there was a freak accident at training last week which resulted in my leg being broken,” Jason Behrendorff wrote in an Instagram story. “It wasn’t anyone’s fault, just a very unlucky incident.” He expressed his disappointment at missing the IPL: “I have loved being a part of the MI Family and I am absolutely gutted to be missing this year’s IPL.”
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The injury occurred while batting in the nets. A ball struck him just above the left ankle, breaking his fibula. Thankfully, surgery won’t be necessary, but the eight-week recovery timeline throws his IPL and potentially T20 World Cup chances into question.
“Unfortunately, there was a freak accident at training…” – Jason Behrendorff on being ruled out with injuryhttps://t.co/0WsEqlYBss
— News18 CricketNext (@cricketnext) March 19, 2024
Behrendorff’s absence is a significant blow for both MI and Australia. He was a key member of the Mumbai bowling attack last season, bagging 14 wickets in 12 games. As the reigning Australian T20I player of the year, he was also seen as a valuable backup option for the national team. His recent form was impressive, claiming eight wickets at an economy rate of just 6.60 during the tours of South Africa and India in 2023.
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However, the return of Australia’s pace trio – Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc – saw Behrendorff sidelined in the recent T20I series against New Zealand. With Nathan Ellis and Spencer Johnson vying for a spot in the T20 World Cup squad, competition for the remaining slots is fierce. The deadline for teams to submit their initial squad to the ICC is in May, and Behrendorff’s selection now hangs in the balance.
The Aussie pacer’s return to competitive cricket is likely to be with the T20 Blast in England, which starts on May 31st. This setback throws a wrench into his plans, but Behrendorff can focus on recovering and aiming for a strong comeback later in the season.
