Injured Jack Leach ruled out of remaining India Tests: Details
In a major blow for Team England, senior spinner Jack Leach has been ruled out of the remainder of the Test series against India. Leach continues to recover from a left knee injury that he sustained while fielding in the series opener. Notably, he also missed the second game in Visakhapatnam. Leach's ouster leaves England with three young spinners for the remaining three Tests.
England left with a young spin attack
Leach is a vital cog in England's relatively young spin attack in Test cricket. The left-arm spinner took two wickets in Hyderabad as the visitors stunned India. Notably, two of the three available spinners in the England squad, Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir, made their respective international debuts in the ongoing series. Rehan Ahmed, meanwhile, has three Test caps.
A look at his stats
Making his Test debut in 2018, Leach did not take long to cement his place in the team. As far as his numbers are concerned, the left-arm spinner has claimed 126 wickets in 36 Tests at an impressive average of 34.40. The tally includes five fifers and a match 10-wicket haul. On Indian soil, he has returned with 20 Test wickets at 30.65.
Series leveled at 1-1
After suffering a narrow defeat in the opener, India bounced back in Visakhapatnam as the five-match series currently stands at 1-1. England will now travel to Rajkot for the third Test that starts on Thursday (February 15). With Leach being unavailable, Hartley, Bashir, and Ahmed have the onus to shine on Indian tracks. Notably, England have decided not to name a replacement for Leach.
