Reports | Injured and concussed Ravindra Jadeja ‘most likely’ to miss first Test

Ravindra Jadeja’s rejuvenation with the bat peaked in the first T20I in Canberra, where he powered India to a match-winning total via an unbeaten 23-ball 44, but his knock came at a cost as he suffered a two-in-one blow in the span of two overs. After seemingly tweaking his hamstring at the death, the southpaw also got concussed after being hit by a Mitchell Starc bouncer, a blow that subsequently ended up ruling him out of the T20I series. Jadeja’s absence did not hamper India’s surge in the shortest format, but it could very well have dire consequences for the visitors in the Tests.

According to a BCCI source, it will be ‘near impossible’ for the 32-year-old to feature in the first Test, for the simple fact that the management are sceptical to play him in the first Test with no practice. The concussion Jadeja sustained in the first T20I is set to keep him out of the pink-ball warm-up game at the SCG, slated to begin on December 11.

"As per ICC's concussion protocols, after any head injury, a player needs to be rested for 7 to 10 days, which effectively rules Jadeja out of the three-day day-night practice game at the SCG from December 11," a BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

"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.”

The concussion aside, something that has remained a mystery is the extent of Jadeja’s hamstring injury. Despite the all-rounder limping off, the board gave no subsequent update on the fitness of the southpaw. While there has been no official word, it is believed that the hamstring injury sustained by Jadeja is ‘bad enough’ to keep him out of at least one Test, if not two. 

The first Test at the Adelaide Oval will be played from December 17, meaning Jadeja will have no more than 10 days to completely recover from his injury.