Simon Katich wants injured Chris Lynn to decide future

Chris Lynn was immediately ruled out of the PSL following a horrific shoulder injury

What's the news?

Former Australia batsman Simon Katich, who is now a key advisor for the Kolkata Knight Riders IPL franchise, has warned that his fellow countryman and big-hitter Chris Lynn may have to soon decide on his T20 workload, considering his repeated injuries.

“He has to make a decision about how much cricket his body can withstand at this level,” Katich told Melbourne radio station SEN.

“We’ve had numerous discussions about how he can try and protect himself in the field, obviously diving is a big concern given his history, but that’s the nature of the game.

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In the latest of problems, Lynn suffered a dislocated shoulder, having dived for the ball awkwardly in the T20 tri-series final against New Zealand at Auckland on Thursday. Already restricted in his field movements courtesy of a history of injuries, Lynn had been advised not to dive for the ball lest he would further cause any damage, which unfortunately he eventually ended up doing, this time on the other arm. As a result, his absence from the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) had been confirmed immediately.

In the IPL auctions last month, his franchise, the Kolkata Knight Riders had bought him for a hefty sum of $1.86 million and despite his issues, were even mulling to make him the captain of the side.

The heart of the matter

The 27-year-old Lynn, being a T20 freelancer across the globe with contracts in the BBL, IPL, BPL, PSL and CPL, has come under scrutiny by Katich, who played an important role in the Kolkata Knight Riders hiring Lynn.

“When instincts take over and you feel like you’re letting your teammates down, he’s the sort of guy that doesn’t want to see one of his bowlers miss out and cost them a few runs. But ultimately it’s costing him in the long run. He’s going to have to have a think about that and we’ll be there to support him.”

What's next?

At the same time, Katich was hopeful of Lynn's return for his IPL side, with the tournament beginning on April 7. “But there's still six weeks before the IPL starts so hopefully … he can do the rehab and get back on the park, even if it is a couple of weeks late.

Author's Take

Undoubtedly, Lynn's exploits are worth investing in, with T20 teams all over hurriedly chasing the attacking batsman; but with numerous fitness problems over the last few months, there might come a time when they begin to ponder about other options. Thus, Katich's suggestion is not entirely out of proportion.