Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has been in the news of late after he was ruled out of the ongoing Twenty20 International (T20I) series against Australia. Jadeja has reportedly suffered a concussion and is also nursing a hamstring strain.
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It was during the first T20I in Canberra, while India were batting first, Jadeja played a late blitz of a 23-ball 44, to steer India to a modest total of 1615. However, during the course of his innings, he hurt his hamstring, while he was also struck on his helmet, following a delivery off seamer, Mitchell Starc.
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Although he seemed unfazed by it at that moment, following the innings, India announced that he was having a concussion and utilised their substitute, as leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal replaced him. Consequently, later in the evening, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) updated that he had been ruled out for the remainder of the three-match series.
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Meanwhile, according to the latest update, he is yet to recover from both the injuries he has suffered. Although it might be too early to say, there are still chances that he could miss the opening Test against Australia, starting December 17, in Adelaide.
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"As per ICC's concussion protocols, after any head injury, a player needs to be rested for seven to 10 days, which effectively rules Jadeja out of the three-day daynight warm-up game at the SCG from December 11. Therefore, it is next to impossible that the Indian team management would field Jadeja, without any warm-up game time ahead of the opening Test," a BCCI source was quoted as saying to PTI.
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Furthermore, it is also being said that rather than the concussion, it is his hamstring that is causing more trouble. In fact, one of the commentators on-air during India A's warm-up tie against Australia A had said that Jadeja could be out for at least three weeks.
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As of now, it would be interesting to see if India would rush to get Jadeja match-fit before the opening Test. Nonetheless, in case he is unable to do so, India have back-up options in the form of veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and chinaman Kuldeep Yadav.
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