Stuart Broad and Zafar Ansari doubtful for Mohali Test

Fast bowler Stuart Broad and spin-bowling all-rounder Zafar Ansari remain doubtful for the 3rd Test against India starting from Saturday at Mohali.

Broad who suffered a foot injury during the 1st day of the Vizag Test and has been hobbling ever since the incident and is almost certain to miss the next Test at Mohali but the situation of left-arm spinner Zafar Ansari is less known.

Ansari who struggled with nausea during a major part of the Vizag Test have recuperated from his illness but is down with a sore back. Ansari will have to prove his fitness in the practice sessions to have any chance of playing in the Mohali Test starting from Saturday. In case, Ansari is ruled out, experienced offie Gareth Batty is expected to make a return.

Any thoughts of England playing an extra seamer in Mohali was virtually ruled out after seeing the condition of the pitch. It was fully dry with huge cracks and is expected to be a spin friendly wicket where there is nothing to suggest that a fourth seamer would have been useful in these conditions.

With the Indian batting line-up packed with right-handers, the absence of left arm Ansari might well hurt England.

India played a magnificent brand of cricket at Vizag to take a 1-0 lead in the 5 match series. Captain Virat Kohli was again in the thick of things scoring a brilliant hundred in the 1st innings to take India’s score past the 450 mark.

The bowlers bowled in the perfect areas as England were bowled out for 255 with Ashwin picking up a yet another five-wicket haul. With a lead of 200 in the 2nd innings, India went for quick runs but kept losing wickets at regular intervals to eventually finish on 204. Virat again showed his class with a fine 81.

Though Cook and Hameed defied the Indian bowlers for the first 50 overs, they were not good enough to save the match for England. The visitors were bowled out for 158 handing India a 246 run victory. Ashwin and debutant Jayant Yadav both finished with three wickets each.