England pacer James Anderson allayed concerns after prolific batter Joe Root was forced to leave the field following a blow on his right little finger during Day 3 of the second Test against India on Sunday. Root sustained the injury during the 18th over of India’s second innings when he tried to catch an edge from Shubman Gill in the slips. Facing a length ball on off from spinner Tom Hartley, Gill went forward and played with hard hands, only to get a thick edge which flew towards the left of Root in the slip cordon.
He managed to get a finger to the ball but could not complete the catch and the ball went for a boundary.
“Joe Root sustained an external blow to his right little finger, attempting a slip catch in the first session of D3. The England medical team will keep him off the field for the time being to treat and ice,” England team management said in an update.
The former skipper did not return to the field with teammate Anderson saying the team management didn’t want to risk an external blow.
“Yeah he’s just been looking after it basically. He took a knock on it this morning in practice I think. He then took one in the field as well,” Anderson said during the post-day press conference.
“I don’t think there’s concern. Just making sure it’s as good as possible for tomorrow. There’s a chance we will need him with the bat. So it’s making sure he can hold a bat.
“It’s making sure he’s as good as he can be. There’s no point risking it for an external blow, no point risking it further out in the middle, so it’s making sure that he’s good enough to bat,” Anderson added.
Root hasn’t been among runs in the series but claimed 4 for 79 and 1 for 41 in the first Test in Hyderabad.
He was dismissed for 29 and 2 in that Test, while scoring just 5 in the first innings here.
England, who lead the five-match series 1-0, need 332 runs for a victory on the fourth day.
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