Chris Lynn's IPL prospects not looking good

Kolkata Knight Riders opener Chris Lynn appears increasingly likely to miss the remainder of the IPL after he hurt his shoulder while fielding against Mumbai Indians. KKR mentor Jacques Kallis said the injury would need a "substantial" period to heal.

"We are awaiting the results of the scans to Chris Lynn's shoulder which he dislocated on the field," Kallis wrote in his column for Times of India. "It is a notoriously difficult area of the body to heal, so these are nervous times. He will undoubtedly need a substantial period of rest, and may even miss the rest of the tournament, which would be desperately disappointing for him and our fans after seeing what he is capable of doing during the first two games."

The KKR franchise said its medical team would need a few days to establish Lynn's availability for the rest of the tournament.

The latest injury was the third time Lynn had done the same shoulder in the last two years. He fell hard while diving to try and catch Jos Buttler near the long-off boundary, having run back at speed from mid-off. Lynn got on his knees and immediately clutched his shoulder and was attended to by the KKR physio Andrew Leipus. Later, he was seen in the dressing room wearing strapping and an ice pack on his shoulder.

KKR had said on Monday - Lynn's 27th birthday - that he had undergone an MRI scan and the results were due in two days' time.

Brisbane Heat, Lynn's team in the Big Bash League, said they were monitoring the situation. "We'll stay in close contact through this initial process as we get an idea of what the extent of the injury is and what the options are for him," Heat manager Andrew McShea said. "It's unfortunate for Chris to sustain another injury to the shoulder that has troubled him in the past. It's not the sort of birthday you would wish for, and the best wishes of the club and our fans go out to him."

Lynn had made an impressive start to the IPL, having made 93 off 41 balls against Gujarat Lions and 32 off 24 against Mumbai.