While Jasprit Bumrah looks certain to play in the all-important fourth Test against England, Team India is staring at another injury blow after pacer Arshdeep Singh suffered a cut on his bowling hand during nets in Manchester on Thursday.
Arshdeep, who is yet to feature in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, suffered a cut while stopping a ball hit by Sai Sudharsan on his follow-through. After the session concluded, the medical team swung into action, checking if the 26-year-old would require stitches.
This was India’s first practice session after suffering a 22-run loss to England in the third Test of the series to go 2-1 down. Arshdeep Singh 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. That, however, will now depend on the extent of his injury.
India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate 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.”
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. India captain Shubman Gill, however, said Pant will be fit to play in the fourth Test, starting July 23 in Manchester.
Doeschate, meanwhile, all but confirmed that pace spearhead Bumrah, too, will play the do-or-die Test. “We’ll make that call in Manchester. We know we’ve got him for one of the last two Tests. I think it’s pretty obvious the series is on the line now in Manchester, so there will be a leaning towards playing him,” he said.
