England cricket team suffered a massive blow ahead of their four-match Test series against India as their fast-rising opener Zak Crawley has been ruled out of the first two Tests due to a wrist injury.
According to England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), the 23-year-old had slipped on the marble floor of the Chepauk dressing room on Tuesday, thereby jarring his right wrist.
"Following the results of last night’s scan, England top-order batsman Zak Crawley has been ruled out of the first two Tests of the India versus England series,” the ECB stated in a media release.
“Scan results have confirmed that Crawley has jarred his right wrist, which has sprained the joint and led to local inflammation. The Kent player sustained the injury during England’s practice in Chennai on Tuesday when he slipped on the marble floor leaving the dressing rooms onto the field of play,” the press release added.
Official Statement: Zak Crawley
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) February 4, 2021
Crawley, who played as an opener in the recently concluded tour in Sri Lanka was expected to bat at number 3 in India.
Meanwhile, Ollie Pope, who was added to the England Test squad on Wednesday, is likely to replace Crawley in the middle-order after he recovered from his shoulder surgery.
Crawley could be fit for the last two Tests but the board said that they will continue to assess his progress over the next few weeks.
England need to win 3-0, 3-1 or 4-0 against Virat Kohli-led Team India in order to qualify for the final of the ICC World Test Championship.
The first Test of the four-match series will start on February 5 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Feature image courtesy: Alastair Grant / POOL / AFP
