Sydney: Depleted India’s injury woes worsened Saturday as Ravindra Jadeja and Rishabh Pant underwent scans in a hospital after taking nasty blows from the Australian pacers, raising doubts about their availability in the remainder of the third Test.
The visitors’ first jolt came when wicketkeeper-batsman Pant sustained an elbow injury after being hit by a Pat Cummins delivery.
Reserve wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha replaced Pant as per a recent amendment in the ICC playing conditions.
“Rishabh Pant was hit on the left elbow while batting in the second session on Saturday. He has been taken for scans,” the BCCI stated in a release.
Pant, who looked good during his 36 off 67 balls on the third day of the match, was hit while trying to pull a short ball from Cummins.
He was in pain immediately and after on-field treatment that included strapping a bandage, he was back in action but lost the flow due to hindered movement as Josh Hazlewood had him caught behind.
If that was not enough, the Australian fast bowlers inflicted further pain on the Indians as Jadeja suffered a nasty blow to his left thumb. He is unlikely to bowl in the Australian second innings after being taken for scans to ascertain the damage to his bowling hand.
Jadeja’s 28-run knock allowed India to limit Australia”s first-innings lead to less than 100 but towards the end, a short ball from Mitchell Starc hit him on the gloves and he needed immediate medical attention.
“Ravindra Jadeja suffered a blow to his left thumb while batting. He has been taken for scans,” the visiting team”s board stated in another media release.
Jadeja was in pain and once the team was back in the field for the second innings, his left thumb looked pretty swollen and the physio applied taping on it. He threw a few balls but then it was decided that it won”t be possible for him to continue.
Coming into the Sydney Test, India had lost Ishant Sharma (before series started), Mohammed Shami (forearm), Umesh Yadav (calf muscle) and KL Rahul (wrist) to various injuries. Virat Kohli is on a paternity leave.
