ENG vs IND: Shardul Thakur doubtful for Lord's Test after hamstring injury, Ravi Ashwin likely replacement

Indian pacer Shardul Thakur is likely to miss the second Test of the five-match series, scheduled at the Lord’s Cricket Ground from August 12. Thakur is understood to have done some harm to his hamstring in the leadup to the second Test while he was practicing with the squad. A final decision, however, is expected to be made looking at his progress in the remaining time before the second fixture.

Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who was not selected in XI for the Trent Bridge Test as India went with a 4:1 pace-spin combination with Ravindra Jadeja in, is expected to be the likeliest replacement for Thakur in a bid to ensure the depth in batting. Ashwin, a veteran of 79 Tests, has 2685 runs at 27.68, with five centuries and 11 half-centuries to his name. He was in top form recently for Surrey in the buildup to the five-match Pataudi Trophy, as he returned with 6/27 in the second innings against Somerset at the Oval, one of the major reasons why his Trent Bridge exclusion raised plenty of eyebrows.

Stuart Broad likely to be ruled out too

The England camp has been injury-hit, too, as pacer Stuart Broad is nearly ruled out after injuring his right calf during training in London with the team. The 35-year-old will undergo scans and his further participation is subjected to those results. Meanwhile, England has recalled off-spin all-rounder Moeen Ali into their squad. Ali last represented England against India during the second Test at Chennai, after which flew to England as a part of ECB’s rest and rotation policy.

England does not have the services of Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer, while pacer Chris Wokaes was not named in the squad for the first two Tests after he injured his heel during the home series against Sri Lanka. In Broad’s absence, England have options in all-rounder Craig Overton and Mark Wood, alongside James Anderson, Ollie Robinson and Sam Curran, all three of whom were a part of the drawn first Test.

Both ECB and BCCI are yet to officially announce any updates regarding the players’ availability for the second Test.