Stuart Broad has been ruled out of the remainder of the Test series against India after tearing his right calf, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed. He had suffered the injury in the afternoon of August 10 and was due for an MRI scan later today, which revealed a tear.
Broad’s confirmed absence from the series will hurt England’s prospect in the five-match long series. They got out of jail at Trent Bridge last week on the back of Joe Root’s classy century but overall the quality of their bowling attack made them formidable against a very strong Indian team.
Broad had gone wicketless in the first innings of the last Test but picked up the only wicket of KL Rahul that fell late on the fourth day.
The second Test starting tomorrow at Lord’s would have been his 150th Test as he and James Anderson have formed a long-running partnership with the ball.
England’s selection headaches don’t end here as Anderson too has reported difficulties in his quad muscles. However, there is no clarity on the severity of his injury.
If Anderson misses out from the second Test, it will be the first instance since 2007 that England will be playing without their most successful bowling pair in their home conditions.
England have already called up Lancashire pacer Saqib Mahmood to replace Broad from the Test squad for the remain