13 January,2021 06:31 AM IST | Sydney | PTI
Jasprit Bumrah. Pic/AFP
The injury-ravaged Indian team was dealt another telling blow on Tuesday as pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out of the fourth Test against Australia due to an abdominal strain.
If that wasn't enough, Mayank Agarwal - tipped to be Hanuma Vihari's replacement in the playing XI in Brisbane - has sustained a knock on the hands and it could be a hairline fracture.
Vihari suffered a grade 2 tear on Day Five of the Sydney Test on Monday. To make matters worse, Ravichandran Ashwin's back spasms have aggravated after battling for three hours on the final day, leaving little options for India on the bench.
Earlier, pacer Mohammed Shami had sustained a fractured forearm during the Adelaide Test and speedster Umesh Yadav too hobbled out of the field with a calf muscle injury.
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Bumrah sustained the strain during the drawn third Test in Sydney. It has been learnt that Bumrah's scan reports showed a strain and the Indian team management does not want him to aggravate the injury, keeping in mind the upcoming four-Test series against England.
"Jasprit Bumrah suffered an abdominal strain while fielding in Sydney. He is going to sit out of the Brisbane Test but is expected to be available against England," a BCCI source said.
While the Indian team management is heaving a sigh of relief that Bumrah hasn't sustained a tear but wants to be on the side of caution as playing in Brisbane and breaking down in the middle of the Test match could have an even more adverse effect on the team.
"If we take the risk of him playing at 50 per cent, what if the injury aggravates and he breaks down in the middle of the match and then ruled out for better part of England series? England is the last series which will decide the qualification for World Test Championship final and we are in contention and would require a fit Bumrah," the senior BCCI source added.
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