IND vs ENG: Halfway through the ongoing India vs England five-match test series, the visitors, England have found themselves in a troubling state, after their star player, Jack Leach has been ruled out. The update was confirmed on Sunday (February 11) by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
Senior spinner Jack Leach, who was carrying a knee injury, will now no longer participate in the remaining India vs England test series. He suffered a knee blow during the first IND vs ENG test which was held in Hyderabad. The spinner charged towards the ball in an attempt to save a boundary, and ended up ramming into the ground.
Leach didn’t turn up to bowl a lot in the first innings. He bowled 26 overs in the first innings, while just 10 in the second innings. The spinner was subsequently ruled out of the second IND vs ENG test held in Vishakhapatnam.
As of now, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) hasn’t announced any replacement for Jack Leach.
A statement from the ECB stated that Jack Leach will return home from Abu Dhabi, where the English contingent is currently staying during the extended break between 2nd and 3rd test matches.
“Leach will work closely with the England and Somerset medical teams in respect of his rehabilitation,” the statement from ECB added.
With Jack Leach out of the India tour, England are left with Joe Root as the only experienced spinner in the side, alongside the likes of Rehan Ahmed, Shoaib Bashir and Tom Hartley, who have only played a handful of red-ball games.
It’s noteworthy that the next India vs England assignment is scheduled to be held in Rajkot, where the surface usually provides more assistance to the seamers as compared to the spinners. So not having Jack Leach won’t be a large issue for England.
Moreover, the likes of Tom Hartley, Rehan Ahmed and Shoaib Bashir have been fantastic so far. Hartley has scalped 14 wickets in two IND vs ENG test matches while Rehan Ahmed has picked 8. Shoaib Bashir in his solitary appearance has got 4 wickets to his name.
The India vs England five-match test series is currently levelled at 1-1 after team India managed to turn the table in the second game held in Vishakhapatnam. India defeated England by 106 runs in the second game after going down in the opening fixture by 28 runs.
The IND vs ENG 3rd Test is slated to be held in Rajkot’s Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, starting February 15.
England Squad Updated: Ben Stokes (c), Ollie Pope, James Anderson, Gus Atkinson, Rehan Ahmed, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Shoaib Bashir, Ben Foakes, Tom Hartley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Mark Wood.