ENG vs IND 2018: Ravichandran Ashwin Suffers Hand Injury Ahead Of Test Series

India’s injury woes just worsened as their spin spearhead Ravichandran Ashwin suffered a minor hand injury on Thursday. As a result, he did not came out on the field on day two of the ongoing three-day warm-up game against Essex.

The off-spinner suffered the injury when he took a blow on the right hand during a net session on the morning before the day started. To avoid any further damage, Ashwin decided not to bowl, bat or field.

The Indian team management said that the physio has taken a look and deduced that it was only a minor injury. Ashwin, however, rolled his arms in the nets during the lunch break.

With the conditions in England set to be dry these days, Ashwin will play a huge role in the series. India also have Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav to choose from.

India have already suffered two huge injury blows ahead of the five-Test series against England. They will miss the services of their pace duo Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

Bumrah has not played since the first T20I against Ireland last month when he injured his finger. He had picked up the injury during the T20 against Ireland in Malahide on June 27. It seemed that he would get fit in time for the ODI series against England. However, the recovery is taking longer than expected. Deepak Chahar had replaced him in the T20I against England while Shardul Thakur had taken his spot in the ODI team.

Later, Bumrah was named in the team but he will miss the first Test, the BCCI confirmed.

“Jasprit Bumrah, who has been included in the squad, will be available for selection from the second Test onwards based on his fitness,” the statement from BCCI said.

On the other hand, Bhuvneshwar will not play the first three Tests because of a back injury.

With two key pacers absent, Ravichandran Ashwin will have to play a huge role if India are eyeing a good outing in England this time around.

Now coming to the warm-up game, India were all out for 395. Dinesh Karthik top-scored for the visitors, scoring 82. Murali Vijay, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya also slammed fifties. Ashwin had not come out to bat during the first innings. Meanwhile, in reply, Essex finished the day on 237 for 5.

The five-Test series begins in Birmingham on August 1.