According to sources, India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who was ruled out of the second Test against England owing to a hamstring injury, may miss the third Test, which is slated to begin on February 15 in his home stadium in Rajkot.
According to a Cricbuzz source, The Left-handed all-rounder’s hamstring injury appears to be more severe than initially feared, perhaps sidelining him for an extended spell.
On Day 4 of India’s run chase in Hyderabad, Ravindra Jadeja injured his hamstring while trying a rapid single. The 35-year-old was previously ruled out of the second test in Visakhapatnam owing to hamstring issues, and he is also slated to miss the next test in Rajkot.
Normally, hamstring issues take four to eight weeks to recover — meaning he might be sidelined for a long period. Insiders believe it would be extraordinary if he could be fit for the fourth Test in Ranchi from February 23 to 27, leaving him almost certain to miss the third Test in his hometown of Rajkot. The most recent BCCI media release cites his absence exclusively for the second Test.
Jadeja’s injury and anticipated absence are a big setback to India’s aspirations of recovering from their first Test defeat. He not only excels at spin bowling and left-handed batting, but he also perfectly balances the Indian playing XI, allowing skipper Rohit Sharma to use five bowlers.
The second Test against England, which begins in Visakhapatnam on Friday, will be without several key players, including Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, and Mohammed Shami. The situation may persist for the following three Tests, with potentially a few exceptions.
The availability of Virat Kohli for the remainder of the series is still unknown with the BCCI demanding privacy. This website, without going into the reasons for his absence, can report that the star hitter is now out of the nation, casting doubt on his availability for the remaining matches. The BCCI had initially stated that his withdrawal was only for the first two Tests.
KL Rahul’s status does not appear to be as concerning as others at this time, and signs are that he may be ready for the third Test, which begins on February 15. According to the BCCI, Rahul complained of right quadriceps soreness following thigh surgery in 2022.
