Notts Outlaws medium-pacer Harry Gurney has been ruled out of the Vitality Blast as well as the IPL owing to a shoulder injury. Gurney, who was picked up by the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, is scheduled to undergo an operation next month. Gurney confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that he would not be travelling to the UAE to join the Knight Riders for this season's IPL. He represented the side in the previous season, taking seven wickets in eight games, including a Man-of-the-Match performance of 2 for 25 in four overs against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur.
"Having gone through the same frustrations as everyone this year in waiting for cricket to restart, I'm devastated to have to miss the Blast," Gurney said. "Some of the proudest moments in my career have been with Notts, and nothing quite compares to being out on the field at Trent Bridge competing for trophies with some of my best mates. To have that taken away for a year is tough."
He signed a white-ball-only contract ahead of the 2019 season, and was due to add some impetus to the squad alongside fellow T20 specialist Alex Hales ahead of the Blast. The Notts' head coach Peter Moores said losing Gurney was a setback.
"Harry would improve any T20 side in the world, so it's a blow to lose him for this year's tournament," he said. "With the experience and expertise he's gained from a global white-ball career, he's become a real leader in our limited-overs dressing room."
Gurney is the leading wicket-taker across the last three T20 Blast seasons with 63, and has been their go-to death bowler for a number of years. Moores, meanwhile, said they will "continue tapping into Harry's experience when it comes to our tactical discussions and advising our bowlers".
Gurney's absence reduces the Knight Riders' count of foreign players to seven in their squad of 23. However, it is understood that they have finalised a replacement and will announce the name soon.