New Zealand’s left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner, whose career-best performance helped the country win the Pune test match against India, is not included in the team’s XI for the third Test of the three-match series. To qualify for the World Test Championship finals, New Zealand must win all their remaining matches, including the series against England and the match against India. New Zealand captain Tom Latham explained why the 32-year-old player was not in the team during the third Test draw. Apparently, Santner had a side strain, which occurs when the tendons and muscles of the obliques are torn or overstretched. Relatively common among fast bowlers, an injury caused by the repetitive bowling, twisting, twisting movements and associated strain can lead to significant discomfort and pain.
Side strain is most common among professional cricketers, but it is also seen in recreational amateur players. Any activity that requires sudden ‘twisting’ movements, intense physical exertion and heavy lifting may be at risk of this injury. If you enjoy playing cricket or engage in activities that require similar physical movements and are experiencing physical discomfort, use the following checklist from sports injury experts to see if these are signs of lateral strain:

Side tension symptoms
1) Aching pain on one side of the abdomen, especially when moving the body. It may be a mild discomfort at first, but may gradually turn into severe pain.
2) Tenderness in the affected area. If you touch the muscles or sides of your body, you will feel discomfort.
3) Abdominal spasms or involuntary contractions
4) Moderate to intense stiffness in your body. It can also affect your range of motion and your ability to do normal activities such as sneezing, coughing, and even deep breathing.
5) Pain that gradually spreads to the hips, back and even the pelvic area. It can also be difficult to pinpoint the exact location of the pain.

How is side strain treated?
If you feel these symptoms worsening, make sure you get good rest and give your body enough time to heal. Apply ice packs to the affected areas for about 20 minutes every few hours to reduce swelling. Compression bandages for support may also help some people. At the same time, schedule timely consultations with your coach and doctor to prevent further complications. According to experts, if not treated at the right time, the injury can lead to prolonged recovery time and extreme pain. New Zealand vs India has been trending on Google Trends for over 12 hours with a search volume of over 200,000.