 "Team India players celebrate after taking a wicket against England. AP")
Team India has been struck by a slew of injuries in the run-up to the 4th Test against England in Manchester, and the misery has further intensified. After pacers Arshdeep Singh and Akash Deep , promising all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy is the latest addition in the list of injured players. Reddy has sustained a ligament injury and has been ruled out for the rest of the tour, as reported by the Times of India.
As per the report, the player travelled with the team to Manchester but did not take part in the optional training at Old Trafford. Notably, Arshdeep and Akash Deep are not yet completely ruled out of the 4th Test but given the nature of their respective injuries, they are unlikely to feature in the next Test.
Massive blow to Team India
Team India’s hopes of making a comeback in the series are dwindling with each passing day. After initial concerns about the status of Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant, the team has suffered three injury setbacks in the last 24 hours. Reddy picking an injury is too big a blow to India as he was entrusted with the task of stitching a crucial stand, while batting in the lower order. Moreover, was proving to be handy with the ball too.
Reddy’s departure will trigger a tweak in the playing XI. Thereupon, Anshul Kamboj, who has been brought in as a contingency option , can be put to action straightaway. Abhimanyu Easwaran can also come in the reckoning as he is listed in the squad as an all-rounder. Moreover, there are other choices available as well. Hence, it will be interesting to note how the management will compensate for the loss of Reddy and move ahead.
Must-win game for India
Having lost two games in the series, Team India will enter the Old Trafford stadium on Wednesday trailing 1-2. While the injury issues have hit the team at the wrong time, it cannot get bogged down by anything. Team India carries the mettle to capture key moments and emerge victorious and thus must play to its strengths. With all to look forward to the penultimate Test of the India vs England series will begin on July 23.