India have been dealt a double blow ahead of the fourth Test against England in Manchester, starting July 23, with pacer Arshdeep Singh and all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy both ruled out due to injuries. The Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI) confirmed this on Monday.
Arshdeep sustained an impact injury to his left thumb during a training session in Beckenham and won’t be available for selection for the upcoming Test. Meanwhile, Reddy, who had featured in the last two matches, has been ruled out of the remainder of the series due to a left knee injury and will return home for treatment.
Anshul Kamboj has been added to the squad. India trail 2-1 in the series after losing the third Test at Lord’s.
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Also read: IND vs ENG: Fresh Injury Scare for India as Arshdeep Singh Gets Hurt Ahead of 4th Test
India’s Combination Under the Scanner for 4th Test as Injuries Pile Up
The spate of injuries has left India’s team management with some tough decisions to make. With Nitish Kumar Reddy ruled out of the series, their balance is now disrupted. In his place, Kuldeep Yadav or Shardul Thakur could be brought into the XI as per the conditions.
Arshdeep Singh’s injury adds further worry to the pace department. He was expected to play a major role in Manchester as Akash Deep will also likely be rested because of a niggle. His absence leaves India with fewer options and will likely push the management to hand Kamboj a Test debut as India are unlikely to go back to Prasidh Krishna, who disappointed in the limited chances he got. Kamboj has already linked up with the team.
There are also questions around India’s batting unit. Karun Nair has not made the most of his chances so far and with Sai Sudharsan waiting in the wings, a change at No.3 could be on the cards.
Another area to watch is the wicket-keeper’s slot. If Rishabh Pant, who injured his finger at Lord's is not fully fit to take the gloves, Dhruv Jurel could receive a chance.
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India's Squad for 4th Test vs England
Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant, Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Kuldeep Yadav, Anshul Kamboj.
