Fast bowler Anshul Kamboj has been added to the Test squad for India’s ongoing tour of England after Arshdeep Singh was ruled out for the fourth Test in Manchester because of a deep cut on his bowling hand.
Kamboj, 24, was part of the India A side, which played two three-day games last month. He took five wickets in the two games. The fast bowler impressed everyone with his speed and tight line. He has taken 79 wickets in 24 first class games for Haryana.
“Arshdeep has a deep cut and has had stitches, he will take at least ten days to get completely fit. The selectors have decided to add Kamboj in the squad,” a BCCI source said.
The 26-year old Arshdeep had suffered a cut on his bowling hand during a 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 in the fourth Test. 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.
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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.”
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.
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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.
The Indian team will play its fourth Test match in Manchester which is scheduled to kick off from July 23.
