The second Test between India and South Africa is set to start on January 3 in Cape Town. Following a swift defeat in the first Test, where the visitors trail 0-1, they seek to level the series in the upcoming New Year Test. However, their plans hit a snag as all-rounder Shardul Thakur endured a blow to his left shoulder during the optional training session on Saturday (December 30), casting doubt on his availability for the Cape Town Test.
Big Update on Shardul Thakur’s Injury
The incident occurred during an optional training session at Centurion, where India suffered a defeat in the first Test within three days. Shardul was reportedly receiving throwdowns from a member of the support staff.
As it was an optional training session, only seven to eight players attended the practice. Among them were skipper Rohit Sharma, R Ashwin, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar, Prasidh Krishna, and KS Bharat, along with Shardul. All the coaches were present at the venue.
However, contrary to concerns, as reported by Cricbuzz, Shardul Thakur has no worries about his fitness. He continued to bat after the impact. As the sole fast-bowling all-rounder in the squad, Thakur plays a crucial role in India’s lineup. The reassuring news is that there are no fitness concerns surrounding him, providing a positive outlook for the team.
“There is no concern at all. No problems,” the source gave an update about Shardul Thakur.
Despite this, the all-rounder fell short of expectations in the series opener, managing only one wicket while conceding 101 runs in 19 overs. On the batting front, Thakur played a vital role with 24 runs in the first innings but was dismissed for just two runs in the second innings.
News :
– Shardul Thakur injury isn’t serious and he is fine for the second Test match.
– Thakur injured his left shoulder in practice.#INDvsSA (Cricbuzz) pic.twitter.com/LFhdKNIzpD
— Cric Point (@RealCricPoint) December 31, 2023
The Indian team is set to fly from Johannesburg to Cape Town for the second and final Test on Sunday morning. While the lineup for the Test at Newlands Stadium on January 3 hasn’t been indicated, it is unlikely that there will be a change in the wicketkeeper position. Despite facing challenges behind the stumps in the Centurion Test, KL Rahul is expected to continue as the wicketkeeper.
India squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Ravindra Jadeja, Srikar Bharat, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Mukesh Kumar
