Lockie Ferguson not rushing return from calf injury
Set to play domestic one-day final on Sunday, but wary of doing more damage to his calf if not careful
ESPNcricinfo staff
15-Feb-2020
Associated Press
New Zealand quick Lockie Ferguson is looking to be "conservative" with his calf injury, instead of rushing back into long-format cricket and risking doing more damage.
Ferguson went down with a calf strain on Test debut, against Australia in Perth in mid-December. He returned to top-flight action on February 9, bowling 10 overs for Auckland in the domestic one-day competition, the Ford Trophy. He is set to play in the tournament's final on Sunday, and has been in touch with New Zealand coach Gary Stead about his recovery process.
"Me and Steady talk all the time - he was asking me how I fared in my first domestic game back, then he was asking me how I was going preparing for the weekend," Ferguson said, according to Stuff.co.nz. "Of course the goal is for me to get back as soon as possible, but there is so much cricket coming up this year.
"We've got a lot of white-ball stuff and I head away to the IPL as well, so it's important with a calf injury, where there's a high percentage chance of re-injury, that we be conservative.
"Sunday's [final] my focus and then I'll be looking to play some first-class cricket."
Stuff also reported that Ferguson had trained with the New Zealand side in Auckland a week ago, when they were in town for the second ODI against India. Returning to Test cricket remains his main goal, Ferguson said.
"Since I started playing professional cricket, it has been my goal to play Test cricket, because personally I feel that's the biggest challenge. I am obviously super stoked to be playing one-dayers and T20s for New Zealand, I love every moment of it, but playing red-ball has been a big goal of mine.
"On the day [of his Test debut] it wasn't to be, I only got through 11 overs, and it was really frustrating. But it's one of those things. When you bowl quick, injuries can sometimes happen."
New Zealand have a two-match Test series coming up against India later this month, but it remains to be seen if Ferguson is match fit enough to make it to that squad.