Tom Moody, Director of Cricket for the Desert Vipers, announced that the team won’t seek a replacement for the injured USA wicketkeeper-batter Andries Gous, who sustained a calf injury in their last match against MI Emirates.
In an interview on the Vipers Voices podcast, Moody expressed confidence in Gous’s swift recovery.
“We aren’t considering a replacement. We anticipate a ten-to-fourteen-day recovery,” he stated. “Our physio Nirm (Nirmalan Thanabalasingam) and strength and conditioning coach Daz (Veness) will work diligently to ensure his return.”
While Gous recuperates, Moody mentioned that Scotland and former New Zealand batter Tom Bruce will take on the Associate player role. However, the decision on who will open in Gous’s absence remains open.
“We have several options,” Moody noted. “I still need to discuss our strategy with Head Coach James Foster.”
Following Gous’s injury on Tuesday, talented UAE player Vriitya Aravind stepped in as wicketkeeper against MI Emirates and secured victory with a last-ball run-out of AM Ghazanfar.
Moody, an ICC Cricket World Cup champion with Australia in 1987 and 1999, praised Vriitya’s presence in the team.
“He was on our radar during the auction,” he revealed.
“From the first year, we were eager to have him join Desert Vipers, though we missed out then. Three years later, he’s in our squad, and his performance in the last game shows why we wanted him.
“Vriitya is a fantastic team player and a versatile cricketer. While he excels at the top order, adapting to different roles in high-level tournaments like the DP World ILT20 is crucial for his growth,” Moody added.
