New Zealand all-rounder Glenn Phillips says he is “feeling really strong” in training, but he is not rushing a return to senior cricket after a pair of groin injuries kept him out for more than three months.
The 28-year-old last played in July, when he damaged both groins turning for a second run in the Major League Cricket final for Washington Freedom. A similar twinge during the IPL in April had been an early warning, and the second setback persuaded medical staff to take a slower, more methodical route to recovery.
“Yeah, obviously when you do both groins the rehab and recovery is a little bit longer, so I guess things are coming along really nicely,” Phillips said. “I’m feeling really strong and now it’s just about loading it up and getting ready to play at some stage.”
The prolonged lay-off ruled him out of New Zealand’s visit to Zimbabwe, as well as home white-ball series against Australia, England and West Indies. A stint with Guyana Amazon Warriors in the Caribbean Premier League also disappeared from the diary. In that time he has been working with Otago’s strength and conditioning staff at the University Oval, adding short sessions with the national squad whenever schedules overlap.
“Obviously, we would always like to be back sooner rather than later, but at the end of the day it’s really just around the loading side of things. Once my leg has been loaded enough to be able to perform the way that I do in the field is the main thing. I guess it comes down to if I give everything 100% and if at 100% I’m a little bit weak then we’re not ready to go, so we’ll just wait until that stage.”
New Zealand’s medical team agree. One physio put it simply earlier this week: there is little point rushing a player whose game relies so heavily on explosive movement in the field and between the wickets. A re-tear in November would be far more damaging than cautious progress now.
Phillips plans to prove his match fitness at domestic level first. The Ford Trophy pauses after this weekend, but the 100th edition of the Plunket Shield starts on 18 November, offering red-ball overs and long days in the field – exactly the sort of workload the medics want to see.
“At this stage no date in mind, we’re just seeing things as we go and I’d imagine it’ll be for Otago before coming back to the Black Caps side of things,” Phillips said. “You definitely need to test things in an environment before going to the international scene. Obviously when you play in international cricket you’re required to give as much as you possibly can in each game, and until I’m ready to do that we’ll keep loading as we go.”
If the timing lines up, team management would like him available for the home Test summer after Christmas. Even then, they will check the numbers: sprint-speed data, high-intensity fielding drills, and the less scientific but equally relevant expression on the player’s face after a long training block.
“Yeah, well that [Plunket Shield] will be the hope, but as we said it’s very much around where my leg is at that point in time. We’re moving strong and we’re moving in the right direction, but yeah we just need that time on the feet and the time doing the actual fielding, loading to get it right and make sure that there’s no risk of getting injured again in the game.”
There was a small lift in spirits on Wednesday when he joined the national squad in Dunedin ahead of the final T20 against West Indies. A few gentle throw-downs, some slips catches, then a quiet chat with coaching staff – nothing dramatic, simply another step in a process that, for now, remains deliberately unspectacular.
For Phillips the message is plain: no shortcuts, trust the plan, and once the body allows, the bat and ball will follow.
