Gloucestershire have been dealt a major blow ahead of this year’s T20 Blast after left-arm fast bowler David Payne was ruled out with an ankle problem sustained during his IPL spell with Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Payne, 35, was brought into the competition as an injury cover for Australia allrounder Jack Edwards. However, his time on the field was limited to two appearances, where he returned 2 for 35 from three overs versus Royal Challengers Bengaluru and 0 for 35 from two overs against Kolkata Knight Riders.
Before joining Sunrisers Hyderabad, Payne had enjoyed a productive stretch in the T20 franchise circuit over the winter. He played a key role in Desert Vipers and Perth Scorchers lifting the ILT20 and Big Bash League titles respectively, finishing both championship games with identical wicket hauls: 3 for 42 in one final and 3 for 18 in the other. In the latter match, his performance earned him the Player-of-the-Match award.
Following his return from the IPL in early April, Payne has now opted for surgery on the ankle, believing it offers the best chance to extend his playing career for the long term.
“I’m absolutely gutted to be missing the Blast, and I’m very sorry to all our supporters,” Payne posted on Instagram. “The decision to have surgery was an incredibly difficult one, and it was only taken after exhausting every possible avenue to get me back playing.
“Ultimately, this is the right decision for my long-term career, and I’m immensely thankful to all the coaches and medical staff at the club for their incredible support throughout this process. I’ll be cheering the team on from the sidelines and look forward to seeing everyone at the ground soon.”
For Gloucestershire, the timing of the injury is especially damaging. Payne was their standout wicket-taker in 2024, finishing as the leading bowler in the competition with 33 wickets at an average of 12.75. That included a spell of 3 for 27 during their eight-wicket triumph over Somerset in the final at Edgbaston. He then added 17 wickets at 21.58 during last season’s title defence, though Gloucestershire were knocked out at the group stage.
