RCB’s Adam Milne ruled out of IPL 2016 with hamstring tear

New Zealand and Royal Challengers Bangalore pacer Adam Milne has been ruled out of the ongoing IPL with a grade-two hamstring injury. The 24-year old bowler, who played RCB’s opener against Sunrisers Hyderabad, has not featured in the IPL since and missed the training on Friday owing to the injury.

Milne has only played one match in the IPL since Royal Challengers acquired him last year for Rs 70 lakh. Bowling consistently at speeds in the 145-150 kph range, Milne is one of the fastest bowlers in contemporary cricket. But the Kiwi has been constantly sidelined by injury over the last few years.

The Bangalore-based franchise have already lost two of their star bowlers in Mitchell Starc and Samuel Badree and brought in Chris Jordon and Tabraiz Shamsi to replace the duo. But with the latest injury, RCB’s bowling options have grown thinner. RCB’s bowling has been their weak link this season and is the main reason behind their 7th place in the league table. Milne joins a host of international stars to be ruled out of the IPL and the excessive reason could be the reason for the same.

Essex, where Milne is scheduled to arrive for the NatWest Blast season, will also be desperate to learn the extent of the injury which depending on its severity can take either a few weeks or a couple of months. He missed the 2015 IPL after failing to recover from a heel injury picked during last year’s World Cup, where he missed New Zealand’s last two matches.

With Milne gone, the Australian pair of Shane Watson and Kane Richardson, the England allrounder Jordan, and the South African allrounder David Wiese are the main overseas seam bowlers left on the RCB bench. The team will take on Rising Pune Supergiants next on Saturday at the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore.

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