Kuhnemann's Injury Recovery Fuels Sri Lanka Dreams

Brisbane, Jan 23 (NationPress) Australia spinner Matthew Kuhnemann has successfully recovered from his right thumb injury following surgery and now experiences no pain while bowling and batting, heightening his anticipation to board a flight to Sri Lanka for the upcoming two-Test series.

The left-arm orthodox spinner encountered a compound dislocation and fracture of his thumb during Brisbane Heat's five-wicket defeat to Hobart Hurricanes last Thursday. This injury cast doubt on his participation in the Sri Lanka tour, despite his pivotal role in Australia's plans.

Kuhnemann, 28, was promptly taken to the hospital by his Heat teammate Daniel Drew after sustaining the injury. Immediate treatment that night included reducing the dislocation, followed by surgery the next day to insert a pin into the fracture.

Despite this setback, Kuhnemann has experienced a rapid recovery. After bowling eight overs at Allan Border Field in Brisbane on Thursday, he conveyed optimism about joining Australia’s squad in Sri Lanka. He also participated in batting practice with throwdowns from Heat and Queensland bowling coach Andy Bichel, took catches, and trained under the guidance of team physio Adam Smith.

Kuhnemann expressed that he feels good but requires clearance from Australia’s medical personnel, currently in Dubai for a pre-tour training camp. A conference call on Thursday evening will decide whether he can travel to Sri Lanka shortly.

“Nothing's official yet. I think it was more about just ticking off the boxes each day this week, and so far, it's gone according to plan. I'm hopeful, but nothing's confirmed yet. I’ll probably communicate with the medical team this afternoon. My bowling, batting, and fielding have all gone excellently so far. So I'll just relay that message. There's a bit of a time zone difference, and hopefully, I can get on the plane over there,” Kuhnemann remarked.

“I'm feeling really good, incredibly grateful with how it has progressed over the week. It's healed exceptionally well, and the surgery went fantastic. I'm very fortunate and lucky so far to be in a position to bowl, bat, and catch a few balls. Everything's progressed as planned, and there’s hardly any pain left, especially while bowling and batting.”

To protect his injured right thumb, Kuhnemann now utilizes a custom plastic splint, which he can wear during matches since it’s on his non-bowling hand. Having previously broken the same thumb, he remains confident that the splint will protect him from further injury, even if a ball is hit back at him with considerable force.

“This is a conversation I had with the surgeons and doctors, and it's really stable now. It's likely more stable than it was before. I've broken that thumb previously, and now after surgery, it's probably in a better state,” Kuhnemann explained.

“I’ve played cricket with splints, and I’m very confident it doesn’t hinder my bowling, batting, or fielding. If anything, I’m probably more assured in the field because I have something on my finger.”

He mentioned he would have no apprehension if a ball were to come at him in the field. “No, not at all,” Kuhnemann replied. “That’s cricket in general. Balls have been hit back at me much harder, and I’ve been fine. So this is just one of those freak incidents that hit precisely the spot it needed to cause some damage. I’ve already caught some balls. Andy Bichel has already thrown some balls back at me, so there’s no issue with that.”