Ankle surgery leaves Colin de Grandhomme in race to be fit for England tour

Colin de Grandhomme is in a race to be fit for New Zealand's tour of England in June, which includes two Tests against the hosts as well as the World Test Championship final against India, after deciding to undergo surgery on his right ankle on Thursday.

NZC's medical manager Dayle Shackel has confirmed that the allrounder will need six weeks of rest post-surgery to resume running, and another two weeks before he can bowl again.

The ankle injury troubled de Grandhomme throughout the 2020-21 season, keeping him out of international action for the entirety of a home summer that included visits by West Indies, Pakistan and Australia. He played domestic cricket for Northern Districts, but only as a specialist batsman.

With de Grandhomme absent, Daryl Mitchell has occupied the seam-bowling allrounder's spot in New Zealand's Test team, playing three of their four Tests over the summer and scoring a maiden hundred against Pakistan in Christchurch.

New Zealand coach Gary Stead, however, has said de Grandhomme remains a key part of the team's plans.

"We've all been gutted for Colin having to miss this international summer through injury," he said. "His contributions to the BLACKCAPS in the past few years have been outstanding across all three formats and he's been a huge part of our team.

"His skills with the ball, power with the bat and catching in the field make him one of the premier all-rounders in the world and so we're naturally eager to see him get the injury right and become available for us again.

"It's too early to say what this might mean for our Test tour to England in late May and June, but we're hopeful following surgery and rehabilitation he will be a chance to make the squad."