Due to a left knee injury, England's ace spinner Jack Leach will miss the second Test against India, dealing a serious blow to the national team. England skipper Ben Stokes confirmed the development and mentioned that the knock has resulted in a haematoma.
With 36 Test match experience under his belt, Leach was the most seasoned spinner in the team. Tom Hartley made his Test debut in the first Test in Hyderabad, while Rehan Ahmed has played in two matches. Having recently joined the England camp, Shoaib Bashir has not yet made his debut for his country. In such a scenario, former skipper Joe Root might have to take the responsibility of a lead spinner while the other three are likely to work around him.
It is believed that Leach sustained the injury on the second day of the first Test. The thirty-two-year-old bowled just ten overs in the second innings after bowling 26 overs in the first. The England captain acknowledged the development after he skipped the Wednesday training session. Since Bashir, a 20-year-old, is the favorite to take Leach's spot in the starting XI, his absence makes room for him.
In his six first-class appearances, he has taken ten wickets at an average of 67. Conversely, Hartley's stunning debut against the Indian batting line-up would be his goal to duplicate in order to secure England a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.