India vs England Test Series: England left-arm spinner Jack Leach has been ruled out of the remainder of the Test series against India after failing to recover from a knee injury.

Leach picked up a knee injury while fielding on the opening day of the first Test in Hyderabad as he tried to stop a boundary and collided with the ground.

 

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While he managed to continue, the swelling on his knee restricted him to a maximum of four-over spells for the remainder of the Test.

Leach, who bowled 26 overs in the first innings, could only bowl 10 in the second but managed to dismiss Shreyas Iyer, as England sealed victory by 28 runs.

 

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The lack of improvement ruled him out of the second Test in Vizag which India won by 106 runs to level the five-match series.

With a 10-day break ahead of the third Test in Rajkot, it was hoped that Leach might recover but after further assessment, the left-arm spinner decided to return home for further treatment and miss the rest of the three matches.

A statement from the ECB read: "He will fly home from Abu Dhabi in the next 24 hours, where the England team have been staying ahead of the third Test in Rajkot, which starts on Thursday.

"Leach will work closely with the England and Somerset medical teams in respect of his rehabilitation."

England confirmed they will not be calling up a replacement for Leach who has been a primary spinner under Ben Stokes' captaincy tenure.

It is to be noted that he had just returned from a stress fracture of the back that ruled him out of last summer's Ashes.

Leach's absence has kept England's spin options limited to the young trio of Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley, and Shoaib Bashir - who made his debut in the second Test as a replacement for Leach, alongside Joe Root as the team's only allrounder.

The third Test between India and England is scheduled to be played at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot that will commence on Thursday, February 15.