England announce replacements for final two Tests
England's team management has called for the services of opener Keaton Jennings and all-rounder Liam Dawson following injuries to Haseeb Hameed and Zafar Ansari. Earlier, it was declared that all-rounder Chris Woakes has also sustained a broken thumb, but no replacements have been announced for him.
Things have gone from bad to worse for the visiting England team who are currently trailing 0-2 in the five-match Test series against India. First they lost pacer Stuart Broad to an ankle injury and all-rounder Zafar Ansari to a back pain suffered during the second Test at Vizag. Then, opener Haseeb Hameed had to play with a broken finger in the third Test at Mohali and it was also revealed that all-rounder Chris Woakes was diagnosed with a thumb injury after the match.
On Wednesday, the England management announced opener Keaton Jennings and spin-bowling all-rounder Liam Dawson for the final two Tests as replacements for Haseeb Hameed and Zafar Ansari. Haseeb, who played a brave knock of 59 not out in the second innings with a broken finger, returned to England for a surgery while Ansari remained with the squad to receive medical treatment for his injured back.
Jennings, a South African-born batsman, had previously captained South Africa’s Under-19 side and is set to make his debut for the England Lions against UAE in Dubai on Thursday. He will link up with the national squad on December 5 while Dawson, who is currently playing in the Bangladesh Premier League, is expected to join the England squad in Mumbai next week.