In a blow to England’s cricket team, left-arm spinner Jack Leach is slated for surgery following a knee injury that has forced him out of the ongoing India tour. The injury occurred during the first Test in Hyderabad when Leach collided with his left knee while diving. Despite the setback, he managed to secure a crucial wicket during the run-chase, showcasing his commitment to the game.
Discussing the upcoming surgery to address persistent swelling in his knee, Leach attributed the issue to an unfortunate incident during the first Test, where he sustained the injury while fielding in the first innings.
“I’m going to have an operation to get the rest of the swelling out because it’s not budging. It was quite an unfortunate one. It was the second ball of the first innings in the field, so that whole game I was playing with this knee problem. I obviously knocked it a few times throughout that game, and it has just created a long period of recovery,” shared Jack Leach during an interview on BBC Radio 5 Live.
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This injury deals a setback to Leach, who was making a comeback from a stress fracture of the back that kept him sidelined during the summer Ashes series. Despite facing challenges during the game due to the knee problem, he remained resilient, contributing to England’s performance.
Jack Leach is to undergo surgery on the knee injury that ended his tour of India.#INDvENG https://t.co/MIX4fNtFln
— The Cricketer (@TheCricketerMag) February 24, 2024
“I need to get the operation done, and then hopefully I can get back to playing cricket. I’d love to have a run of playing cricket and getting into a bit of a rhythm again, and hopefully that can happen once I’ve got this sorted,” expressed Jack Leach, indicating his eagerness to return to the pitch.
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With Leach unavailable, England’s spin department has seen promising performances from youngsters Tom Hartley, Shoaib Bashir, and Rehan Ahmed. Ben Stokes expressed disappointment about Leach’s setback, emphasizing the significance of the situation for both the team and Leach, particularly after his prolonged absence from the game due to a back issue.
“It’s a big shame for us, a big shame for Jack, obviously after a long time out of the game with his back,” said Ben Stokes after Leach was first ruled out, as quoted by The Cricketer.
