Synopsis
Spinner Matthew Kuhnemann has been cleared to join Australia's squad for the Sri Lanka tour following a thumb injury. He suffered a fracture during a match but has recovered swiftly and will join the team soon.Key Takeaways
- Matthew Kuhnemann cleared for Sri Lanka tour.
- Injury occurred during a match against Hobart Hurricanes.
- Prompt medical attention facilitated a quick recovery.
- Kuhnemann missed training camp in Dubai.
- He is one of three frontline spinners for Australia.
Brisbane, Jan 24 (NationPress) Spinner Matthew Kuhnemann has received clearance to join the Australian men's team for the upcoming Tour of Sri Lanka, which begins on Wednesday, as confirmed by Cricket Australia on Friday.
The left-arm spin bowler sustained a fracture in his right thumb during the Brisbane Heat's five-wicket defeat to the Hobart Hurricanes last Thursday.
Kuhnemann was promptly taken to the hospital by his Heat colleague Daniel Drew after he dislocated his thumb. The injury was addressed that evening, with the dislocation being reset, followed by surgery the next day to insert a pin into the fracture.
In spite of this injury hurdle, Kuhnemann has exhibited a rapid recovery, having bowled eight overs at Allan Border Field in Brisbane on Thursday.
Cricket Australia noted that Kuhnemann has been capable of bowling this week post-surgery to mend the fracture.
This injury compelled Kuhnemann to forgo Australia's ongoing training camp at the ICC Academy in Dubai, remaining in Australia instead to allow his surgical wound to heal.
Cricket Australia confirmed that Kuhnemann will link up with the squad in Sri Lanka over the weekend, along with young Victorian batsman and under-19 World Cup participant Oliver Peake, who has been invited as a development player.
Kuhnemann's recovery follows stand-in captain Steve Smith's successful fight against a minor elbow injury, allowing him to join the squad in Dubai this week.
The 28-year-old spinner, who transitioned to Tasmania this season to further his Test career, is among three primary spinners that Australia has dispatched on the tour.
He made his test debut during the last subcontinent tour in India in 2023, participating in three of four Tests and achieving a five-wicket haul in Australia's first innings victory in Indore.
The Australian team arrived in Sri Lanka on Friday, boasting 11 bowling options. Besides frontline quicks Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, and Sean Abbott, Australia also features specialist spinners Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy, and Matthew Kuhnemann, along with allrounders Beau Webster and Cooper Connolly, as well as part-timers Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, and Nathan McSweeney.
