Zak Crawley is a key member of England’s batting line up but has been ruled out of first two Tests against India.
The reason is bizarre, to say the least.
Crawley sprained his wrist in a freakish accident.
The 23-year-old slipped on a marble floor outside the changing room during Tuesday’s practice session.
An England and Wales Cricket Board statement said: “Scan results have confirmed that Crawley has jarred his right wrist, which has sprained the joint and led to local inflammation.
Crawley, who opened in England’s 2-0 Test series win in Sri Lanka in January, was set to bat at three to accommodate the returning Rory Burns.
Ollie Pope could replace Crawley after recovering from a shoulder injury. Or it could be Dan Lawrence, who made his debut batting at five in Sri Lanka.
This is an inauspicious beginning for England though the return of their talismanic all-rounder Ben Stokes and pace bowler Jofra Archer will cheer them up.
Captain Joe Root, who will play his 100th Test in Chennai, explained that since the accident, they have taken some precautions.
“We initially just put some towels down and since then they’ve put something more substantial down,” he said. “We know we’ve got to be careful.
The 1st test starts tomorrow at the MA Chidamabaram Stadium in Chennai.
