Allrounder expected to fly back to India for recovery at NCA in Bengaluru
Ravindra Jadeja has been added to the list of injured India. The runway was taken out of the quarter and the final Test against Australia starts in Brisbane on January 15 and instead he flies home to get past a broken left thumb.
Jadeja was injured while batting at the SCG and was still willing to bounce back when an epic test match came to his interesting conclusion. But it was useless as the Indian bats stopped the Australian attack in incredible fashion to keep the series tied at 1-1.
A BCCI statement on Monday said Jadeja will consult with a handheld expert in Sydney and then continue the rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore.
This is just the latest in an injury crisis that has hit the Indian team ever since they reached the shores of Australia. Even their most recent heroes – Hanuma Vihari (hamstring) and R Ashwin (back) – are big doubts for the Gabba Test. Both players struggled through pain to save a save in the SCG Test when an Australian win was likely. While the duo has no official word yet, here is a list of the injured Indian players
In doubt:
Hanuma Vihari: Vihari injured his hammer while fighting at the fourth innings in Sydney. Along with Ashwin, Vihari made it through the final session to give India a stunning grip, despite being unable to run between the wickets, making a 161-ball 23.
R Ashwin: On Monday, the offspinner woke up with a “tweak” to his back that left him in “incredible pain”, according to his wife Prithi on Twitter. Ashwin joined Vihari in the 89th over with more than a session left for India to save the SCG Test. But they rose to the challenge, getting out 42.4 pets, some of which included a short bowling of hostile hits. Ashwin stared in visible discomfort in their face, throbbing his arms, chest and abdomen.
Removed from the tour:
Ravindra Jadeja: Jadeja suffered an undivided left thumb on the third day in Sydney after hitting a short ball from Mitchell Starc on the gloves. He did not bowl in the second hotel in Australia, but was seen wrapped up in the dressing room. He had missed the T20I series earlier with a concussion and a leg injury.
KL Rahul: Rahul was ruled out of the rest of the Australian league with a left fist, after injuring himself during the India practice session at the MCG ahead of the third Test in Sydney. A BCCI statement said he would be rehabilitated at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru and called for “about three weeks to fully recover and regain full strength”, which casts doubt. for at least the start of India’s four home Test series against England are set to begin on February 5 in Chennai.
Umesh Yadav: Yadav has been ruled out of the last two trials in India against Australia with a tight calf muscle. He felt in the middle of his fourth over the third day of the MCG Test, and took no further part in that game. He was replaced in the squad by Navdeep Saini, who made his SCG debut.
Mohammed Shami: The fast player suffered a fracture of his right arm during the first Test in Adelaide and was ruled out for the rest of the round. Shami, who was at battle at No. 11, was injured while waiting for a brief delivery from Pat Cummins during India’s second innings. After being tapped on his right arm Shami decided to go ahead, but then pointed out that he could not continue and did not return to bowl in the fourth innings of the second some.
Ishant Sharma: Ishant Sharma was not part of the original Australian squad named in late October after sustaining abdominal muscle tears through the IPL. While he was expected to return to fitness in time for the Australian Exams, the BCCI said in a statement in November that Sharma had to “lift up her workload”, managing her out of her visit.
Sruthi Ravindranath is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo