In another blow to the Bazball-stung Indian team, ace all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is likely to be ruled out of the remainder of the five-match Test series against England. Jadeja, who had suffered a hamstring injury during the first Test in Hyderabad, will require more time to regain full fitness and so will seamer Mohammed Shami, who is also set to miss the rest of the red-ball leg. (Streaming | More Cricket News)
Southpaw Jadeja had pulled his hamstring after getting run-out for the first time in his Test career during India's fourth-innings chase in the series opener. He was earlier ruled out of the second Test, which commences in Visakhapatnam from Friday, February 2, 2024.
The 35-year-old from Saurashtra snared five wickets across two innings and scored a collective 89 runs in the first Test, which India lost by 28 runs. A hamstring injury usually takes a minimum of four weeks to heal and hence Jadeja might not take further part in the five-match series. The final Test is slated to be played in Dharamsala between March 7 and 11.
Shami, on the other hand, has been away from action ever since his superb performance at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 in November. He has gone to England to take specific injections for his left ankle issue and consult a surgeon too.
The right-arm speedster was not considered for the first two Tests, but it is now learnt that he could be ruled out of the entire series.
Middle-order batter KL Rahul has already been rendered unavailable for the second Test owing to pain in his right quadriceps, for which he underwent surgery in 2022. Rahul is currently recuperating at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, and it remains to be seen whether he will return for the third Test in Rajkot from February 15.
India will also be without the services of batting mainstay Virat Kohli, who withdrew from the first two Tests due to "personal reasons", causing the Board of Control for Cricket in India to name the uncapped Rajat Patidar as his replacement.
The home team have also inducted in-form middle-order batter Sarfaraz Khan, left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar and all-rounder Washington Sundar in the squad.
India squad: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Srikar Bharat (w), Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, Rajat Patidar, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Sarfaraz Khan, Avesh Khan, Saurabh Kumar, Mukesh Kumar, Dhruv Jurel.
England, meanwhile, have named Shoaib Bashir as Jack Leach's replacement in the playing XI for the second Test. James Anderson has been given the nod ahead of Mark Wood, their only pacer in the first match.
England playing XI for 2nd Test: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (c), Ben Foakes (wk), Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley, Shoaib Bashir, James Anderson.
(With PTI inputs)
