Jack Leach, an England spinner, will not play in the current series against India. The 32-year-old missed the second Test match in Visakhapatnam because of a left knee injury he sustained during the first Test in Hyderabad.
Though it was anticipated that he would return after a break, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Sunday, February 11, that the cricket player would not be able to recuperate in time and would not be able to play in the rest of the series.
From Abu Dhabi, where the England team is now based, he will return home. The medical experts in Somerset and England will actively observe Jack Leach and work toward his rehabilitation, according to the official statement. It’s interesting to see that England has not named a substitute.
England won’t be selecting an alternate. ECB
“In the next 24 hours, he will take a flight home from Abu Dhabi, where the England team has been staying in advance of the third Test, which begins on Thursday, in Rajkot. For the purpose of his recuperation, Jack Leach will collaborate closely with the medical professionals in Somerset and England. An ECB statement stated, “England will not be calling up a replacement.”
Jack Leach was the England team’s most experienced spinner. As of right now, Rehan Ahmed has only participated in three Test matches, compared to Tom Hartley’s two and Shoaib Bashir’s one. Leach took two wickets in the first Test match at Hyderabad, which the visitors won by a margin of 28 runs.
The England spinners have performed exceptionally well without Leach, with Bashir and Hartley displaying great character. Despite Leach’s departure, Dan Lawrence—who has performed admirably in domestic cricket—has not been picked for the squad. Dan Lawrence appeared to be the frontrunner to be on it from the beginning.