Santner opts out of RR game with niggle on right shoulder

Mitchell Santner, the left-arm spinning all-rounder, opted out of the Mumbai Indians' game against Rajasthan Royals on Tuesday (April 7) due to a niggle in his right shoulder that he suffered while fielding during the game against Delhi Capitals.

In the 14th over of Capitals' innings at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, while attempting to save a boundary, the all-rounder put in a dive but hurt his right shoulder in the process. He didn't bowl thereafter in the game.

Following Mumbai Indians' loss against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati, Mahela Jayawardene, the team's head coach, confirmed Santner's decision to opt out of the game. "Mitch, in the last game, had a little niggle when he came off," Jayawardene said. "As a precaution, he wasn't a hundred percent ready to play this game. Hopefully, he will be fit for our next game."

With Santner carrying a niggle on his non-bowling shoulder, his decision to sit out of the game against Royals is unlikely to have gone down well with the Mumbai Indians' team management. As a result of his absence, Mumbai Indians had to make three changes to the side that lost against Delhi Capitals.

Two of those changes were along predicted lines. With skipper Hardik Pandya returning to the side - allowing for Trent Boult also to find a place - Corbin Bosch and Mayank Markande had to make way.

Santner was replaced by AM Ghazanfar, who returned figures of 2-21 in two overs - the second-most economical spell for the team on a night when they were carted around for 150 for 3 in only 11 overs. Royals eventually won the game by 27 runs, handing the five-time champions their second successive defeat in three games so far this season.

Jayawardene also confirmed that Will Jacks - another key overseas all-rounder - is yet to join the squad. "Will still hasn't joined the squad, we are hoping he will join pretty soon," the head coach said.