Jessy Singh to miss Auty Cup with knee injury

USA medium pacer Jessy Singh has been ruled out of next month's Auty Cup series against Canada in Toronto due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament and torn meniscus in his right knee. Surgery has been scheduled for next week in New York City with Jessy expected to miss six to nine months.

Jessy originally sustained the injury in the first week of May during a warm-up match in Los Angeles as part of USA's preparation for WCL Division Three in Uganda. The incident occurred when he was fielding on the boundary rope and fell awkwardly while attempting to leap and knock a six back into the field of play.

The injury was initially misdiagnosed as a grade two strain and Jessy continued to train with the squad as they went to South Africa for a preparation tour but pain in the knee forced him to sit out of the team's final warm-up games in Potchefstroom before heading to Uganda. Jessy was out of the first three games in Uganda while dealing with the injury and, though he was still not 100% fit, he eventually played in the team's fourth match against Canada, taking 1 for 30.

Jessy also played the final group match against Uganda where he took the game-ending wicket that sealed a dramatic 13-run win over the hosts at Entebbe. The result ensured USA remained in Division Three while Uganda was relegated with the loss.

Upon his return home from the Uganda tour, the 24-year-old continued playing club cricket in New Jersey and was subsequently included in USA's squad to play a pair of T20s against the Jamaica Tallawahs and St Kitts & Nevis Patriots earlier this month in Florida ahead of the start of CPL 2017. However, the pain in his knee persisted, forcing him to get an MRI scan which revealed the true extent of the damage in his knee. As a result, he did not take part in either match against the CPL teams.

A consultation was held this week with Dr David Altchek, attending orthopedic surgeon at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, who recommended the reconstructive knee surgery procedure to be performed on August 30. The highly respected Altchek's credentials include his role as medical director for the New York Mets major league baseball franchise.

If the surgery and rehabilitation is a success, Jessy will be back in time for the start of 2020 World T20 qualifying. Regional qualification pathway tournaments leading into the global qualifier are expected to begin in mid to late 2018. Jessy should also be fit in time to be back for the next WCL Division Three tournament, which according to an ICC source is tentatively penciled in for late 2018.

Prior to the injury, Jessy's stock had been rising throughout 2016 and early 2017 as one of USA's most promising talents. He was Man of the Match in USA's win over Oman in the final of WCL Division Four last November in Los Angeles. The following month, he made his first-class debut for Kalutara Physical Culture Club in Sri Lanka's domestic competition - an opportunity facilitated by former Sri Lanka Test wicketkeeper and current USA coach Pubudu Dassanayake - where he took nine wickets in five games including a best of 4 for 38.

Jessy was also included in the ICC Americas squad - comprising players from USA, Canada and Bermuda - that took part in the WICB Regional Super50 tournament in Barbados during January and February. He took five wickets in six matches, the most for any non-spinner in the squad.