Indian Star Pacer’s Hand Injury Puts Coaching Staff’s Planning on Halt

Apart from Arshdeep Singh, the only other bowler yet to play for India in the ongoing England series is veteran leg-spinner Kuldeep Yadav.

Indian Star Pacer’s Hand Injury Puts Coaching Staff’s Planning on Halt

Arshdeep Singh might be ruled out of the fourth Test after suffering a hand injury. (via Business Standard)

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Ahead of the must-win fourth Test between India and England in Manchester, the Men in Blue have been hit by a major injury setback. Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh, hoping to make his Test debut, has suffered a hand injury, creating a major selection dilemma.

India’s aspirations for their first Test series victory in England in almost two decades took a blow after they narrowly lost the third Test by 22 runs. At the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground, the visitors appeared to be in a strong position at the end of England’s second innings, needing to chase 193 runs. However, the Men in Blue ultimately fell short in the end, finishing their final innings with 170 runs on the scoreboard.

After the disappointing six-wicket defeat in the series opener, India has seemingly improved, particularly in the bowling department. Three of India’s four primary pacers have each taken over ten wickets so far, with Mohammed Siraj leading with 13 scalps, followed by Jasprit Bumrah with 12, and Akash Deep with 11.

Jasprit Bumrah notably missed the second Test, which allowed Akash Deep to make it into the playing XI. Bumrah opted out of the second Test to manage his workload. The Indian team management had previously indicated that the ace pacer would only participate in three of the five Test matches in England. This implies he would either sit out the upcoming fourth Test at Old Trafford or the final one at The Oval in London.

Bumrah’s exclusion would potentially pave the way for Arshdeep Singh to make his much-anticipated red-ball debut. The 26-year-old left-arm pacer, who was named the 2024 ICC T20I Player of the Year, is still waiting for his opportunity in the playing XI in England. Singh has a first-class record of 66 wickets from 21 matches, at an average of 30.37 and also represented Kent during the 2023 County season.

However, it appears increasingly likely that Arshdeep Singh will be unavailable for the fourth Test in Manchester after suffering a hand injury during training. Singh sustained a cut on his bowling hand while attempting to stop a shot from Sai Sudharsan in the nets. He was immediately examined by the BCCI medical team and was later seen with a bandaged hand at the team’s training session.

While the Indian camp has yet to issue an official update on his condition, it seems improbable that he will recover in time to make his red-ball debut for the national team. It means that Jasprit Bumrah might be compelled to play the fourth Test, or consider the out-of-form Prasidh Krishna.

Karun Nair Slammed for his Poor Form by Former India Wicket-keeper, Ahead of Fourth Test

Former India keeper Farokh Engineer criticized Karun Nair for his underwhelming batting performances in the ongoing India-England Test series. The 33-year-old, who returned to the Indian red-ball setup after a nine-year absence, has yet to make a significant score.

Karun Nair criticized India
Karun Nair was criticized over his poor form by ex-India wicket-keeper Farokh Engineer. (via Cricket Addictor)

In his three appearances in the series so far, Nair has managed only 131 runs at an average of 21.38, with his highest score being 40 runs in the first innings at Lord’s. Engineer commended Nair’s shot selection in his good starts, but emphasized the need for him to convert those into centuries rather than remaining in the 30s and 40s, given the higher expectations from a number three batter.

Engineer further suggested that Sai Sudharsan, whom Nair replaced at number three after the Leeds Test, should be given another opportunity to return to the playing XI. It remains uncertain whether Nair will retain his spot for the fourth Test.