England head coach Brendon McCullum has given an update on left-arm spinner Jack Leach’s knee injury ahead of the third Test match against Team India. Brendon McCullum highlighted that Jack Leach’s knee remains swollen, expressing concern about its severity.
Jack Leach was absent from the Visakhapatnam Test due to the knee injury sustained during the opening Test against India in Hyderabad. The 32-year-old injured his knee while playing on opening day. He bowled 10 overs and got a wicket in the second innings.
Debutant Shoaib Bashir replaced Leach in the second Test, where the visiting team suffered a 106-run defeat. The inexperienced English spinners struggled to make an impact in the match, while veteran pacer James Anderson picked up five wickets in both innings.
Jack Leach’s knee is pretty bad though – Brendon McCullum
Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Brendon McCullum They question Jack Leach’s availability for the next game. McCullum acknowledged the remarkable effort Leach put in during the first Test match despite the injury.
“It’s still quite inflamed, but I don’t really know because he (Jack Leach) has been a criminal,” McCullum told the Belfast Telegraph.
“However, his knee is quite bad and it was remarkable that he surpassed what he did in the first test match.” he added.
England claimed a 28-run victory in the series opener in Hyderabad. Jack Leach contributed one wicket for 63 runs in his 26 overs in the first innings. Debutant Tom Hartley impressed with figures of 7/62 in the final innings to help England win the red-ball match.
Not an excuse for the result – Ben Stokes
England captain Ben Stokes revealed that Ollie Pope, Hartley and Ben Foakes were affected by illness during day 4 of the second Test. Stokes stressed that illness was not an excuse for the result, but praised the players for their determination and effort.
“A couple woke up this morning not feeling very well, and when they all had the same symptoms, you know something is up.” Stokes told the BBC.
“It is not an excuse for the result, because it is a game full of buts and maybes. “I am proud that the boys who felt bad did not shy away from anything they had to do and gave their best.”
Between the second and third Tests, England will spend the 10-day break in Abu Dhabi, where they previously held their pre-season preparatory camp. Following this break, the team plans to regroup in India in preparation for the third Test, according to the Times of India.
The third Test is scheduled to take place at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot, starting February 15. This upcoming red-ball match holds significant importance for both teams as they look to gain an advantage in the ongoing five-match series.
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