Massive jolt strikes Team India: Star all-rounder and pacer likely to be ruled out of entire Test series against England

In a massive blow to India, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami are likely to be ruled out for the rest of the Test series. Jadeja picked up a hamstring injury in the second Test which is likely to keep him away for a few weeks.
 

According to a report by Cricbuzz, if Jadeja manages to recover in time for the fourth Test in Ranchi, it will be a remarkable feat. Normally, hamstring injuries take four to eight weeks to heal. In Jadeja’s case, it may take longer. While the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said in a release that Jadeja is ruled out of the second Test only, the squad for the last three Tests is yet to be announced.
 

India's swashbuckling pacer Shami was not picked for the first two Tests due to an ankle injury. He has been out of the action since the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023 final. Currently, he is in London and there is no information on whether he will go under the knife or will be able to recover without it. He may return to action in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 for Gujarat Titans.
 

Earlier this week, Rahul was ruled out of the second Test alongside Jadeja. He complained of pain in his right quadriceps. However, the decision to rest him appears to be rather precautionary. Both Jadeja and Rahul are at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) but the latter is expected to be back with the squad for the third Test scheduled to be played in Rajkot.
 

Meanwhile, there is no confirmation whether Virat Kohli will be back for the next three Tests or not. He had pulled out of the first two Tests due to personal reasons and is currently not in India. 
 

Selection dilemma for India

Earlier this week, Sarfaraz Khan, Washington Sundar, and Saurabh Kumar were added to the squad. Sundar made his return whereas Sarfaraz and Saurabh are yet to make their Test debuts.
 

Going into the second Test, India are without the services of star players and there is a question mark over the team combination. Some have suggested that India should go with the four-spinner strategy with just one pacer Jasprit Bumrah. The team management has played the cards close to its chest as India prepare to make a comeback after a 28-run loss in Hyderabad.
 

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