Despite nursing a damaged finger for most of day three, England Batter Joe Root is expected to be fit to bat in England’s fourth-innings chase of 399 in the second Test against India in Vishakapattanam. The injury happened in the eighth over when a sharp edge from Shreyas Iyer off James Anderson’s bowling bounced short of him.
Root spent considerable time off the field during the morning session and did not reappear for the remainder of India’s second innings. However, the England captain Ben Stokes’s role will be crucial to chase down the remaining score.
Root’s Injury:
Root endured a blow to his right little finger in the eighth over when an edge from Shreyas Iyer, off James Anderson’s bowling, fell short of him. The impact left Root in immediate pain, leading to extended periods off the field during the morning session. Despite attempts to continue, he did not reappear from the dressing room for the remainder of India’s second innings. The injury further adds to England’s concerns, with Root being a key figure in their batting lineup. The team awaits updates on his condition for the upcoming matches.
After sending down two overs at the beginning of the day’s play, England found themselves lacking a bowling alternative. Nonetheless, they regrouped and managed to bowl out India for 255 runs. The inexperienced spin trio comprising Tom Hartley, Rehan Ahmed, and Shoaib Bashir stepped up, claiming a total of eight wickets.
Root’s Injury Update by Anderson:
Anderson mentioned that Root’s non-appearance on the field was a precautionary measure. The England medical team dedicated the day to providing treatment and applying ice to Root’s injured finger. As of now, there is no indication from the medical team to send him for a scan, indicating a cautious approach to monitor and manage the injury without immediate diagnostic procedures.
Anderson said, “His finger is not great. He took a blow in training this morning and again on the field. It’s just making sure that is as good as it can be for when he bats. Hopefully tomorrow he’ll turn up at the ground and be OK to hold a bat.”
Later he added, “He was just making sure he could do everything he could to help us out in the second innings, just making sure it’s as good as possible for tomorrow. There’s a chance we will need him with the bat so it’s making sure he can hold a bat.”
With the injury being external, Root retains the ability to bat in his accustomed position at four. Alternatively, considering Rehan’s promotion to bat three, Root may slot in at five in the batting order.
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