Jack Leach has been ruled out of the second Test match against India in a big blow to Ben Stokes-led England team. Notably the second Test between India and England is set to start from February 2 in Visakhapatnam, as reported by Times.co.uk. Apparently, Jack Leach sustained a knee injury while fielding in the first Test against India in Hyderabad, which England won by 28 runs.
As per the reports, Leach was absent from England's practice session before the second Test and the chances of his recovery ahead of India vs England's showdown in Visakhapatnam. Leach, who suffered an injury during the first Test, bravely bowled 10 overs in the second innings and took a wicket, contributing to England's stunning win over India. He also picked Shreyas Iyer's prized wicket in England's winning cause. Given Leach's probable absence, it appears likely that Shoaib Bashir may be in line to receive his first Test cap.
"He's (Leach) a tough cookie," England opener Zak Crawley told BBC Sport.
"You can never write him off. He had a sore knee in the last game and we'll see how he pulls up. At the moment he's still in contention to play. Obviously it would be a shame for Leachy to miss out, he's a fantastic bowler, but we've got good depth. We've got a good spin attack and good seamers to back them up," he added.
Talking about Leach's probable replacement Shoaib Bashir, the young 20-year-old, who boasts only six First-Class matches and 10 wickets in his career, faced a delayed arrival in India due to visa issue. Visa issues stemming from his Pakistani heritage necessitated his return to London. However, after accumulating some unexpected frequent flyer miles, he rejoined the team and participated fully in training. Rehan Ahmed, the leg-spinning all-rounder, was absent from the optional session but is reportedly in good health.
Despite Bashir's relatively brief experience, his performance in the pre-series training camp in Abu Dhabi was noteworthy. Tom Hartley’s impressive haul of nine wickets in his debut at Hyderabad suggests that England might be open to taking another calculated gamble with Bashir.
Rohit Sharma-led India have also suffered a huge blow as they were hit by series of injuries, leading to the exclusion of all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul from the second Test, coupled with the already noted absence of batting maestro Virat Kohli. During the fourth day of the first Test in Hyderabad, Jadeja picked up a hamstring injury, and Rahul experienced discomfort in his right quadriceps, according to a BCCI statement. Jadeja and Rahul's exclusions prompted the inclusion of star batter Sarfaraz Khan, left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar, and all-rounder Washington Sundar in India's squad for the second Test in Visakhapatnam.
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