3 reasons why Ravindra Jadeja's injury is a big blow to India for Tests vs England
As if defeat in the Hyderabad Test against England was not enough, Team India and its fans got another bad news, with both Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul ruled out of the second Test.
The Hyderabad Test proved to be a nightmare for India on many fronts, with the hosts suffering an embarrasing loss after dominating for the majority of the game. India were leading by 190 runs after the first innings, but heroics from Ollie Pope and debutant Tom Hartely guided the visitors to a famous win.
Now, the injuries to all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul will make the task of levelling the five-match series all the more difficult for Rohit Sharma's men.
"Jadeja sustained a hamstring injury during play on Day 4 of the first Test in Hyderabad, while Rahul complained of right quadriceps pain," BCCI stated in a media release.
The BCCI have called-up middle-order batsman Sarfaraz Khan, left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar, and all-rounder Washington Sundar to India's squad.
While KL Rahul's absence is also a huge loss, the Indian management will be more worried about losing Ravindra Jadeja as he has been a key reason for India's Test success in recent years.
In this article, we will discuss how Ravindra Jadeja's injury might hamper India's chances in the second Test against England, to be played in Visakhapatnam from February 2.
3 reasons why Ravindra Jadeja's injury is a big blow to India
#3. Structure of the side will get disturbed
Ravindra Jadeja's batting record in Test cricket since 2018 has been a huge boost for India. Jadeja has averaged 45.7 since his comeback at Kennington Oval in 2018, despite batting at number six or lower.
With Jadeja's batting improving leaps and bounds, the team started to push at No. 6 at home to have an extra bowling option and add depth to their batting lineup.
It's because of this move that India can afford to play two seamers at home with three quality spinners, with Axar Patel batting at 9.
Now that Jadeja is unavailable for the second Test, it will be quite interesting to see what the team's structure looks like.
#2. The left-hander conundrum
If we look at the Indian middle-order batting line-up, it's predominantly a right-handed unit with Ravindra Jadeja sandwiched in between.
With Jadeja not playing, England might look to capitalise on this match-up with their in-form left arm spinner Tom Hartley and leg spinner Rehan Ahmed.
With no left-hander option to counter these two in the middle order, Hartley might once again have a good chance against Indian batsmen, with him turning the ball at a good pace and with good control.
#1. Jadeja's impeccable bowling record in home Tests
Not only will India miss Jadeja the batsman in the middle order, but his bowling is also something the team desperately needs to make a comeback in the second Test.
Jadeja has 199 wickets to his credit in India, with 10 five-wicket hauls at an average of 21.9.
On surfaces with help, Jadeja becomes almost unplayable, with him able to keep batsmen guessing which one is going to straighten up and which one is turning, with no real discernible change in the grip.
Also, him bowling quicker through the air compared to other left-arm spinners makes him more dangerous.
Jadeja is also more patient while bowling on unresponsive surfaces for spinners, and that's what India will miss against England's batting lineup in Vizag.