India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has been ruled out of the upcoming four-match Test series against England due to thumb injury.
Jadeja, who fractured his left-thumb while batting during the Sydney Test, will be out of action for nearly six weeks. The 32-year-old will head to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bangalore to begin his rehabilitation.
The selectors will have a look at Jadeja’s fitness before announcing the squads for the white ball series in February and March.
Apart from Jadeja, middle-order batsman Hanuma Vihari, fast bowlers Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav were also not been considered for selection in the first two Tests against Joe Root & Co.
Vihari might also be ruled out for the entire series as he suffered a Grade 2 hamstring tear in the Sydney Test.
Shami could be selected for the third and fourth Test in Ahmedabad depending on his right-arm injury which he suffered during the Adelaide Test.
Yadav may recover soon from his calf-injury and become available for selection in the Ahmedabad Tests as India needs a good bench strength to deliver the goods.
India squad for first two Tests against England:
Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vc), KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant (wk), Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur.
