‘Devastated’ rising star hopes for quick recovery

Sydney Thunder young gun Tanveer Sangha admits he doesn't know if he'll be fit to play in KFC BBL|12, but is trying to stay optimistic as he continues his recovery from a back injury suffered on the eve of the domestic season.

The 21-year-old leg-spinner – who impressed during the Australia A squad tour of Sri Lanka in June – hasn't played for NSW at all this summer after being diagnosed with a lower-back stress injury four days out from the Marsh One-Day Cup opener in September.

Sangha had been hoping – and still is – for a return to action during the Big Bash, but is yet to resume any form of bowling as part of his rehab.

Thunder head coach Trevor Bayliss told cricket.com.au ahead of the season opener against the Melbourne Stars in Canberra tonight that they were unsure if Sangha would return during the tournament.

"He's unavailable at the moment but we've just got to keep an eye on him and see how he does respond to treatment," Bayliss said.

"We're unsure at this stage whether he will (play this season) or whether he won't, but we're preparing as though he won't play and if he does play towards the back end, well that's a bonus."

Fellow leg-spinner Toby Gray – who took three wickets in his Marsh Sheffield Shield debut for NSW last month against Western Australia – has been named as Sangha's replacement and is part of the Thunder's 15-player squad for the season opener.

Sangha told cricket.com.au it had been a "frustrating" start to the season, especially after a breakout offseason where he helped bowl Australia A to victory with seven second innings wickets in their two first-class matches against Sri Lanka A.

He also made his Hundred debut for the Birmingham Phoenix in August, where he got his side over the line with 13no in a final ball thriller.

He'd even played practice matches against Victoria in Coffs Harbour in early September before going down with the back injury.

"I'm very devastated," Sangha told cricket.com.au ahead of BBL|12.  "The Big Bash is such a fun two months of the year, it's Christmas, Boxing Day, New Year's, it's so fun.

"I don't think I've ever spent more than two weeks away from bowling for the last eight years.

"I was up in Coffs Harbour and I felt a bit of soreness and awareness, so I got a scan to check it out and see how bad it is.

"I just wanted to know if I could prioritise my match bowling and calm down a bit on training volume. But then I got the scan and it turned out to be much worse than I thought and I was ruled out for a few months."

Sangha admits he's not a good cricket watcher, and while he has been at a few NSW home games so far this summer, he's also spent his time on the sidelines property hunting, spending time with family and friends and trying to figure out what life looks like post-playing, which he hopes is a long way off yet.

His rehab is a full-time proposition, and he has hardly let a cricket ball out of his hand either, constantly flicking one around while watching TV or hanging out with his mates to maintain that comfortable feeling.

"I didn't like spectating," Sangha said. "I went to a couple of (NSW) home games and all I wanted to be doing was out on the field taking wickets, contributing to the team and getting some more wins.

"When my next scan happens, we will have a much clearer picture to when my return to play looks like.

"It all just depends on the scan…everyone heals differently so it depends on how quickly my body heals and how quickly I can start bowling and be game ready.

"But I want to be optimistic and try and come back for the back end of the BBL and contribute, and hopefully we make finals.

"Who knows if I have a chance, I just want to stay positive.

"I wouldn't be underestimating how much stress a leg-spinner goes through (but) I am very confident I will not let it happen again though."

Meanwhile, Sydney Sixers platinum draftee Chris Jordan won't be available for up to the first four games of the season with a nerve issue.

Melbourne Renegades veteran Shaun Marsh hasn't travelled with the squad to Cairns for their season opener against the Brisbane Heat on Thursday night but is expected to link up with the squad in Melbourne when they return from Far North Queensland after recovering from a calf strain.

Thunder squad v Stars: Ben Cutting, Oliver Davies, Brendan Doggett, Fazalhaq Farooqi (Afgahnistan), Matthew Gilkes, Toby Gray, Chris Green (vc), Alex Hales (England), Baxter Holt, Nathan McAndrew, Alex Ross, Rilee Rossouw (South Africa), Daniel Sams, Gurinder Sandhu, Jason Sangha (c)

Stars squad v Thunder: Adam Zampa (c), Trent Boult (New Zealand), Joe Burns, Hilton Cartwright, Joe Clarke (England), Brody Couch, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Clint Hinchliffe, Nick Larkin, Tom Rogers, Marcus Stoinis, Beau Webster, Luke Wood (England)