According to sources, Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who missed the second Test against England due to a hamstring injury, will not be allowed to play in the third Test scheduled to start from February 15 at his home stadium in Rajkot. There is a possibility that he may miss the test.
According to Cricbuzz’s sources, the left-handed all-rounder’s hamstring injury appears to be more serious than initially feared and could keep him out for an extended period of time.
On the fourth day of the Indian running race in Hyderabad, Ravindra Jadeja injured his thigh muscle during a fast individual attempt. The 35-year-old had earlier missed the second Test in Visakhapatnam due to a hamstring problem and is expected to miss the next Test in Rajkot as well.
It usually takes 4 to 8 weeks for hamstring problems to recover. This means that long-term withdrawal may be necessary. Officials believe it would be unusual if he is eligible for the fourth Test to be held in Ranchi from February 23 to 27, hence the third test to be held in his hometown Rajkot. He will almost certainly miss the second Test. BCCI’s latest media release mentions that his absence is only for his second Test.
Jadeja’s injury and expected absence will be a major setback for India’s efforts to bounce back from their first Test defeat. Not only does he excel with his spin bowling and left-handed batting, he balances perfectly with India’s starting lineup, allowing captain Rohit and Sharma to field his five bowlers.
Several key players including Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami will be absent from the second Test against England starting Friday in Visakhapatnam. This situation is likely to continue in his next three Tests, with perhaps some exceptions.
It is still unclear whether Virat Kohli will be available for the rest of the series as BCCI has requested privacy. The website reported that the batsman is currently out of the country, without mentioning the reason for his absence, casting doubt on whether he will be available for the remaining matches. The BCCI had initially stated that his withdrawal was for his first two Tests only.
KL Rahul’s condition doesn’t seem to be as worrying as others at the moment and there are signs that he will be ready for the third Test starting on February 15. According to BCCI, Rahul complained of pain in his right quadriceps muscle after he underwent a thigh surgery in 2022.
