Jack Leach’s left knee is still bruised which makes him doubtful for the third Test as well beginning in Rajkot on February 15.
The left-arm spinner, who’s the leader of England’s mostly-inexperienced spin attack, had hurt his left knee while fielding during the series opener in Hyderabad that went on to rule him out of the second Test, which India won by 106 runs to level the series.
Most of the players remained at the team hotel on Monday while a few went to play a round of golf.
The entire squad will be departing for Abu Dhabi on Wednesday and head to Rajkot on February 12.
“Jack’s knee is still bruised. So, we’re keeping our fingers crossed over his availability for the Rajkot Test. His condition is being monitored,” an England team source said at the Novotel hotel here on Tuesday.
“It’s not that he will be ruled out of the remainder of the series. There’s still some time before the next Test.
“So, by the time we are back from Abu Dhabi, we hope he makes fair progress and his chances of featuring in the XI of the third Test brightens.”
The players with virus infection in the English camp — Ollie Pope, Tom Hartley, Ben Foakes and Leach — haven’t fully recovered. “They are still down with fever and a bit of body ache,” the team source said.
