Big blow for KKR: Captain-frontrunner Chris Lynn suffers shoulder injury before IPL 2018

Australian cricketer Chris Lynn, the frontrunner for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain's armband in IPL 2018, dislocated his shoulder on Wednesday. The 27-year-old suffered the injury while playing against New Zealand in the trans-Tasman T20 tri-series final.

After former skipper Gautam Gambhir was not retained during the IPL Auction, Lynn, who has been a key part of KKR since 2014, became the favorite to become the captain this season.

Lynn suffered quite a few niggling injuries on his left shoulder throughout his cricket career. The left shoulder was the victim on Wednesday as well.

Update: Chris Lynn will not be participating in the Pakistan Super League 2018 T20 tournament owing to the injury but there's no news yet whether he will be a part of IPL 2018. Staying hopeful remains the word from the camp.

The Australian had an awkward fall while trying to stop the ball during the ninth over of New Zealand's innings at Eden Park, Auckland. 

The medical staff said Lynn was not fit to play the rest of the innings, while an update on his condition is still awaited.

The cricketer had had a surgery on his left shoulder just this winter.

"I'd love to, I'd jump at the opportunity," Lynn was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au when asked if he would like to be the KKR captain in the upcoming edition of the IPL.

"We've got a really good group at Kolkata. The coaching staff, Simon Katich, Jacques Kallis, Heath Streak ... I can relate [easily to] them."

Lynn, whose services were retained by the Shah Rukh Khan co-owned KKR in January for a whopping Rs 9.6 crore, scored 295 runs for the IPL team last season from just seven matches.