CHENNAI: India's injury concerns keep growing and there are fears that they will be without several of their regulars for the England series at home.
Ravindra Jadeja, who is set to undergo an operation on his left thumb on Tuesday (January 12), will need at least four-five weeks to start bowling, which makes him an uncertainty for the Tests against England starting on February 5. Hanuma Vihari, who saved the third Test against Australia on Monday battling a hamstring tear, will also miss the Tests against England.
Jadeja aside, India are also sweating over the availability of Ravichandran Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah for the fourth and final Test against Australia starting in Brisbane on January 15.
Ashwin, whose heroic effort with the bat, helped India to draw the Test on Monday, has tweaked his back. Bumrah, meanwhile, has an abdomen strain and is set to undergo a scan on Tuesday to determine the extent of his injury. However, India are hopeful that both will be fit to take the field at the Gabba.
As far as Bumrah goes, his workload is being monitored closely and there is a strong possibility that he might be rested for at least a couple of Tests against England. With Ishant Sharma and Bhuvneshwar Kumar set to make a return to the squad, India can afford to rest Bumrah, keeping his workload in mind. Ishant and Kumar, who missed the Australia tour with injuries, are currently featuring in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20s.
Mohammed Shami, expected to be back for the Tests in Ahmedabad, is also in the mix. This means India may not need Bumrah at home as there are important tours of England and T20 World Cup lined up in 2021.
India's immediate concern will be the Brisbane Test where they will be without Jadeja. With Gabba traditionally assisting pacers, India can bring in either Shardul Thakur or T Natarajan and play an extra batsman, which will give them more cushion.
As far as the England series goes, what is making it more complicated is KL Rahul, Umesh Yadav, Jadeja, Shami all having to undergo rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru and clear a fitness test before joining the squad in Chennai. For any injured player to join the squad in the bio-secure bubble, they need to clear the fitness test at least seven days before, which is bound to make it complicated.
While India have Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav in the spin department, the likes of Jayant Yadav, Jalaj Saxena and Yuzvendra Chahal can also expect a call-up.