Arshdeep Singh, the left-arm swing bowler, is likely to be ruled out of the fourth Test between India and England. The 26-year old had suffered a cut on his bowling hand during a training nets session on Thursday while stopping a ball hit by Sai Sudharsan on his follow-through. The hand was stitched up and it’s now unlikely he will be fit to play. The suspense still remains on Akash Deep’s availability as he is struggling with a groin niggle. Akash Deep didn’t bowl in a nets session organised by the Indian team before leaving for Manchester.
“He has stitches on his hand and is likely won’t be available for the fourth Test match, the Indian team will see if he is ready for the fifth Test or not,” a source informed The Indian Express.
Arshdeep hasn’t been entrusted with a spot yet in Tests but if the team management chooses to rest one of the pacers, he was in the running to make his debut.
India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate had said: “Arshdeep took a ball while he was bowling there, Sai hit a ball and he tried to stop it and it’s just a cut. So we have to see how bad the cut is. Obviously, the medical team have taken him off to see a doctor and obviously, if he needs stitches or doesn’t need stitches it’s going to be important to our planning for the next few days.”
Akash Deep has had a history of injuries that sidelined him in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2024 and also in the 2025 IPL season. (AP Photo)
On Day 4 of the third Test at Lord’s, in the 28th over of the England innings, Akash Deep left for the dressing room after feeling discomfort. With the team physio by his side, the pacer held his waist and grimaced. The 28-year-old has had a history of injuries that sidelined him in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2024 and also in the 2025 IPL season. After being treated in the dressing room, the pacer returned to the field but didn’t bowl that day.
The tourists are already faced with concerns over the injury to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant. He was struck on the index finger of his left hand as he attempted to collect a Jasprit Bumrah delivery that flew down the leg side during England’s first innings on Day 1 of the Lord’s Test. Pant was in visible pain and did not keep wickets for the rest of the Test. I
The Indian team will play its fourth Test match in Manchester which is scheduled to kick off from July 23.
