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Star English pacer James Anderson gave a major update on Joe Root's injury on Sunday and hoped that the batter would turn up on the field and hold the bat on day four of the second Test between India and England.
Root sustained an external blow on his right finger while attempting to take a catch at slip in the first session on Day 3 at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam. While speaking after the end of day three, Anderson said that Root's "finger is not great". He added that the medical team is making sure that he can bat for the English side on day four. "His finger is not great. He took a blow in training this morning and again on the field. It's just making sure that is as good as it can be for when he bats. Hopefully tomorrow he'll turn up at the ground and be okay to hold a bat," Anderson said as quoted by ICC. The 41-year-old pacer added that the visitors may need him to bat against India on day four. "He was just making sure he could do everything he could to help us out in the second innings, 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," he added. He further added that there are no major concerns regarding Root's injury. He added that the 33-year-old was pulled off since there's "no point risking it for an external blow". "I don't think there's concerns. 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 he's good enough to bat," he further added. "Joe Root sustained an external blow to his right little finger, attempting a slip catch in the first session of day three. The England medical team will keep him off the field for the time being to treat and ice. At this stage, there is no indication of when he will return to the field," England Cricket stated in a statement while announcing Root's injury. Coming to the match, England ended the day three at 67/1, chasing 399 runs to win, with Zak Crawley (29*) and Rehan Ahmed (9*) unbeaten. India gained a 398 run lead in their second innings after being bundled out for 255. Shubman Gill roared into form with a classy 104 in 147 balls with 11 fours and two sixes, scoring a fifty-plus score after 12 innings. Contributions from Axar Patel (45 in 84 balls with six fours), Ravichandran Ashwin and Shreyas Iyer (29 runs each) helped India secure a big lead. Tom Hartley (4/77) and Rehan (3/88) were the pick of the bowlers for England. Led by Jasprit Bumrah's heroics, India had earlier bundled out England for just 253 in their first innings, gaining a 143-run lead. Zak Crawley (76 in 78 balls, with 11 fours and two sixes) did launch an impressive counterattack, but Bumrah (6/45) along with spinner Kuldeep Yadav (3/71) blew away the rest of the English line-up. India reached a respectable total of 396 runs in their first innings mainly due to the maiden double-hundred of the young Yashasvi Jaiswal (209 in 290 balls, with 19 fours and seven sixes). Knocks from Shubman Gill (34), Rajat Patidar (32), Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel (27 each) provided some help to the left-handed batter. (ANI)
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