(Image source: X.com)
[Saba Sports News] England spinner Jack Leach faces uncertainty over his return for the Third Test match against India, slated to commence in Rajkot from February 15 as he continues to grapple with his fitness.
Leach incurred an knee injury during the first match while fielding in the fourth innings, rendering him sidelined for the subsequent Vizag Test, which saw England succumb to a 106-run defeat against the hosts.
Initial hopes for Leach’s comeback in the third Test have dwindled with England head coach Brendon McCullum indicating that the tweaker may not be fit in time for the crucial match.
McCullum addressed the situation, stating, “It is still pretty inflamed, but I don’t really know because he (Jack Leach) has been a crook. His knee is pretty bad though, and it was remarkable he got through what he did in the first Test match.”
In the Hyderabad Test, Leach managed to secure only two wickets throughout the match. Nonetheless, England emerged victorious, propelled by Ollie Pope’s stellar batting and the impressive performance of debutant Tom Hartley.
For the second Test, debutant Shoaib Bashir filled in for Leach and displayed a modest performance. The 20-year-old off-spinner clinched three wickets in the first innings, conceding 138 runs in 38 overs. In the second innings, Bashir managed to scalp only a solitary wicket, that of centurion Shubman Gill while giving away 58 runs in 15 overs.
Should Leach fail to recover in time, England is likely to persist with the same bowling line-up, leaving captain Ben Stokes and his team to rely on an inexperienced spin attack for the crucial encounter.