Jesse Ryder, New Zealand cricket star, fighting for life after beating (VIDEO)

Jesse Ryder, a troubled cricket star from New Zealand, is fighting for his life after suffering head injuries during a fight outside a nightclub early this morning in Christchurch.

Emergency crews transported the 28-year-old batsman to hospital with “serious head injuries” after the incident outside a Merivale bar, TVNZ reported.

Witnesses told reporters that four men surrounded Ryder, kicking at him, just after midnight.

He ended up “shaking, vomiting and covered in blood” inside a McDonald’s parking lot near the bar, the witness told TVNZ.

Stuff.co.nz is reporting that Ryder has a skull fracture and remains in a coma in intensive care.

Another anonymous witness said the men knew who Ryder was.

“From what I could tell it looked pretty unprovoked,” the witness said, according to the website.

“Four dudes were just laying into him and absolutely smashing him on the ground. … His shirt was ripped off and they were kicking him and punching him while he was down.”

Ryder has played 18 matches for New Zealand’s cricket team, but had taken time away from international cricket.

He was planning to join Delhi’s team in the Indian Premier League of cricket.

Ryder said he needed time away from the national team to resolve several alcohol-related incidents, Reuters reported.

He played earlier in the day for Wellington against Cantebury in the New Zealand semifinals.