England vs India: Injury troubles of Virat Kohli and his men

Wriddhiman Saha, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Virat Kohli and now Ravichandran Ashwin, team India has been grappling with a series of injuries in recent times. Ahead of the fourth Test, Ashwin’s fitness was the focal point of everyone’s attention. Even though Ashwin showed no signs of any discomfort in practice at the Ageas Bowl, his fitness was a cause of concern for the Indian team management considering the speculated nature of the pitch.

As mentioned above, India’s worries during their tour to England were accentuated with several injuries to senior players. So, what are the reasons behind the injury troubles of Kohli and his men – heavy workload, inadequate rest or fear of losing out their spots in the side? We analyze the various injuries of Indian cricketers and the kind of impact those injuries have had on the team’s matches in the recent past.

Ravichandran Ashwin: Groin/hip Injury

After taking seven wickets in the opening Test at Edgbaston, Ashwin’s performance in the ongoing series has been heading in only one direction – South. No doubt, the wicket and the conditions at Lord’s were not in his favor, still, Ashwin with his guile, variations and a bag full of tricks was expected to deliver results for his captain. But a hand injury prevented him from bowling his best at the Home of Cricket.

In fact, the Tamil Nadu tweaker bowled just 17 overs in England’s only innings and never threatened Joe Root and company. In the next Test in Nottingham, Ashwin was hit by a groin/hip injury. As the pain in his groin continued to bother him, he was unable to use the depth of the crease to his advantage.

Not only his curtailed movement prevented him from making subtle changes in the line and length of his deliveries, it also forced him to sit out an entire day’s play during the match. The result of his absence from the pitch was felt badly by the Indian skipper when Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler had stitched together a massive partnership during their second innings.

With the win at Trent Bridge, India have the momentum and confidence to accomplish the feat only achieved by the great Donald Bradman’s side. Since 1936, no team has bounced back from 2-0 down to claim the series. However, for that to happen India would require Ashwin at his very best, which at this point in time is looking quite unlikely.