IND vs AUS: India’s injury woes deepen, Rishabh Pant & Ravindra Jadeja taken for scans

Team India’s injury woes deepen on the third day of the ongoing Test between India and Australia in Sydney, after Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja were hurt while batting. While Pant was hit on his elbow, Jadeja has taken a blow on his left thumb.

BCCI in a tweet stated that the wicketkeeper-batsman has left for the hospital for scans. Wriddhiman Saha will keep wickets for India in Australia’s second innings. 

The incident took place after Pant failed to connect a short delivery by Pat Cummins, which went and hit his elbow. Despite being attended by the team physio, the left-handed batsman was seen in pain as he continued with his batting. 

Rishabh Pant was hit on the left elbow while batting in the second session on Saturday. He has been taken for scans. #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/NrUPgjAp2c

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 9, 2021

Coming to bat at the sixth position, Pant started off well but his momentum took a hit after the blow. He was eventually dismissed on 36 by Josh Hazlewood as India’s first innings folded at 244, handing the hosts a solid 94-run lead.  

Pant’s work behind the stumps was under the scanner after the 22-year-old dropped debutant Will Pucovski twice in the first innings. 

Saha, who replaced Pant, was the preferred first-choice wicketkeeper for India at the start of the series. However, Pant was picked ahead of him in the second game owing to his superior batting ability.  

All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who had emerged as the standout bowler for India in the first innings, has also suffered a blow on his left thumb while batting. BCCI in a tweet mentioned that the left-arm spinner has also been taken to the hospital for scans. 

UPDATE – Ravindra Jadeja suffered a blow to his left thumb while batting. He has been taken for scans.#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/DOG8SBXPue

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 9, 2021

Jadeja was hit on the thumb on a rising delivery from Mitchell Starc late in the innings. Jadeja too continued to bat and remained unbeaten on 28 off 37, before India were all-out. Meanwhile, it will be interesting to see if Jadeja can continue bowling in the second innings. The all-rounder had picked four wickets and executed a brilliant run-out in the first innings, helping India restrict Australia on 338.