Shoaib Bashir expected to bowl in fourth innings of Lord’s Test after sustaining finger injury

London [UK], July 13 (ANI): England spinner Shoaib Bashir sustained an injury when bowling to Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who hit a powerful low drive straight back at him after he damaged the little finger on his left hand on the third day of the Lord’s Test against India, according to a report from ESPNcricinfo.

In an attempt at a caught-and-bowled chance, Bashir was struck firmly on the hand and immediately signalled up to the home dressing room that he had been injured, sustaining what appeared to be a dislocation. Joe Root completed his over.

England’s statement on the fourth morning about Bashir’s injury, “Following his left little finger injury, Shoaib Bashir continues to be monitored and is expected to bowl in the fourth innings of this Test. A decision on whether he will bat in the third innings will be made in due course. His involvement in the fourth Test at Emirates Old Trafford will be assessed at the end of the match."

At first, the England team was optimistic that Bashir would be able to bowl in the third session, but instead, he remained on the sidelines with their substitute fielders and did not participate. Before the fourth day of play, he bowled on a practice strip while wearing significant wrapping on his fourth and fifth fingers, but it is unclear if he will be able to bat.

Bashir has taken nine wickets at an average of 59.44 in the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar series, including the wicket of KL Rahul on the third day at Lord’s. If he is not deemed fit to play in Manchester, England’s alternative spin options include Liam Dawson, Jack Leach and Rehan Ahmed.

Earlier in the match, at stumps on Day 3 on Saturday, England are 2/0 with Zak Crawley (2) and Ben Duckett (0*) unbeaten on the crease.

England’s skipper Ben Stokes won the toss and elected to bat first. Batting first, the Three Lions scored 387 runs thanks to a century stand between Root (104) and Ollie Pope (44) and a counter-attacking 82-run stand between Brydon Carse and Jamie Smith, who both struck fifties down the order. (ANI)

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