Why Is Ravindra Jadeja Not Playing Today?

image-ls47sf0fJadeja had an off day during ENG's 2nd innings (x.com)

If India's tragic loss against England in the first Test of the ongoing series was not enough, the nation's cricket fans have been hit with a disappointing update. It is reported that all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, one of India's most prominent performers in the past decade, could be set to miss the remainder of the 5-match series. 

Ravindra Jadeja was initially ruled out for the second Test after pulling his hamstring in the fourth innings of the Hyderabad Test which was contested in Hyderabad. The injury took place following his run-out which almost ended India's hopes of a victory in the series opener. But now, adding to the frustration of the Indian supporters, the 35-year-old might need more time to heal from the injury which could see him not featuring in the series anymore.

Despite the loss at Hyderabad, Jadeja's contribution in the match was very significant. He recorded bowling figures of 3/88 and 2/131 along with a scintillating 87 with the bat in the first innings. Over the past few years, along with Ravichandran Ashwin, the left-handed all-rounder has also been a dominating presence with the ball in the subcontinent, which has helped the team secure multiple victories on home soil. 

The final match of the series is scheduled to be played in Dharamshala from March 7 to 11. However, taking into consideration the fact that a hamstring injury usually takes around a month to heal, Jadeja's participation in the rest of the series looks highly unlikely. 

With the second test currently underway, India has added left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar to the squad who could be a possible replacement for Jadeja.