England’s left arm spinner Jack Leach has been ruled out of the second Test against India. English captain Ben Stokes confirmed this on Wednesday. He said that Jack may not be available for the second Test, but I am confident that the youngster will fulfill his responsibility in Jack’s absence.
England’s playing eleven may be released for the second match of the Test series between India and England on Thursday. The second match between the two countries will be played in Visakhapatnam from 2 February. England is leading 1-0 in the 5 test series.
Jack Leach did not practice with the team in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday. He got injured during the first Test in Hyderabad. Despite this, he bowled 10 overs and took one wicket in the second innings.
If Leach cannot play the second Test, then 20-year-old spinner Shoaib Bashir may get a chance to debut in his place. Bashir could not be a part of the team in the first test due to not getting a visa. He joined the team on Saturday itself and is now practicing with the team in Visakhapatnam.
Bashir does not have experience in international cricket. Till now he has played only 6 first class matches, in which he has 10 wickets in his name. He bowls off spin.
Leach was injured while fielding in the first innings against India in Hyderabad. He suffered a knee injury, after which he was seen practicing with a bandage on his knee. Despite the injury, he came out to bowl in the second innings and bowled 10 overs. Not only this, he also fielded in the entire match.
Leach had sent Shreyas Iyer to the pavilion in the second innings. The team defeated India in the Test by a margin of 28 runs and took a crucial 1-0 lead in the 5-match series.
England team opener Jack Crowley said that if Leach could not play, the team would suffer a loss. He is the most experienced player and his absence will make a difference. But there are other spinners present in the team, who will make up for their shortcomings.
Team India has also suffered a setback before the second test. Left arm spin all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and batsman KL Rahul will not be able to play the second test due to injury. Sarfaraz Khan and Saurabh Kumar were included in the squad in their place. Rajat Patidar is also included in the squad. Either one of Rajat and Sarfaraz may get a chance to debut in the second test.
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