Reports: Ravindra Jadeja unlikely to be available for remaining England Tests

Ravindra Jadeja, the Indian all-rounder, is unlikely to gain the desired fitness levels for India’s ongoing Test series against England. The southpaw had dislocated his thumb during the third Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Thereafter, he went to the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore for ‘further management of his injury’ after a consultation with a specialist. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) didn’t pick him for the first two Tests against the Three Lions.

Ravindra Jadeja not likely to gain fitness for upcoming games

If reports are to be believed, the 32-year-old Jadeja is unlikely to be fit for the last two matches as well. As per reports in Cricbuzz, chances of the all-rounder making the Ahmedabad Tests look remote, to say the least.

Jadeja’s absence hurt India big time in the opening Test at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The hosts lost the game by 227 runs and have fallen 0-1 behind in the four-match series. In the first Chepauk Test, India went in with Washington Sundar, Ravi Ashwin, and Shahbaz Nadeem as their spin-bowling options.

However, they left out Kuldeep Yadav, who hasn’t played a Test for India since the SCG Test against the Aussies back in January 2019. Virat Kohli, the Indian skipper, ahead of the second Test, talked about possible changes after the hefty defeat.

“There are no regrets whatsoever on that decision. Moving forward, we will think of the combinations which bring us variety as a bowling attack, and not one dimensional, turning away from the bat,” Kohli was quoted as saying.

In the meantime, Axar Patel has recovered from a knee niggle, which ruled him out of the first Test. The 27-year-old has started practising and is expected to replace Shahbaz Nadeem in the playing eleven.

“Axar had a minor knee niggle and has already started batting at the nets. He is expected to start bowling during the next couple of days. He was always the first choice to play the opening Test but it will depend on skipper Virat Kohli, head coach Ravi Shastri and bowling coach Bharath Arun,” a BCCI source mentioned.