India’s star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja could miss two tests in the ongoing entourage of India down under, owing to his hamstring niggle and concussion. The southpaw who played a crucial role with the bat in India’s 1st T20I win in Canberra pulled his hamstring and complained of concussion following a bouncer hitting his helmet on Friday.PTI quoted a BCCI source commenting, “As per ICC’s concussion protocols, after any head injury, a player needs to be rested for 7 to 10 days, which effectively rules Jadeja out of the three-day day/night warm-up game at the SCG from December 11. Therefore, it is next to impossible that the Indian team management would field Jadeja, without any warm-up game time ahead of the opening Test.”
Following the final T20I on Tuesday in Sydney, India will travel to Adelaide for the first Test which is Day/Night, starting December 17. His injury might keep him out from the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne as well.
While his recovery remains unclear, one of the on-air commentators, during the second day of the warm-up game commented, “news is Jadeja is out for three weeks” due to concussion.
Jadeja not only is an important inclusion for the Tests for the visitors but his figures also speak volumes of his impact. He has taken 213 wickets and scored 1869 runs with a hundred and 14 fifties at an average of 35.26 in 49 Tests. His absence likely cements off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin’s place in the side.
Jadeja’s 44 off 23 turned the 1st T20 fixture of the three-match series in favour of the visitors. However, while batting he pulled his hamstring and was concussed after getting hit on the head. His replacement, Yuzvendra Chahal became the hero of the match with his match-winning spell of 3/25.
