England fast bowler Stuart Broad on Sunday all but ruled himself out of the third Test against India, saying a strained tendon will need another couple of weeks to recover.
Broad, who shrugged off his foot injury to claim four wickets and help dismiss India for 204 on day four of the ongoing second Test, believes injuries are an occupational hazard.
“So physically it has been quite a tough Test match but it’s all part of the job that you have to crack on a little bit,” Broad told reporters in Visakhapatnam.
“I think there are plans to move on once this Test match is finished to try and offload the tendon a little bit for a few days,” said Broad, who returned with impressive figures of 4-33 in India’s second innings.
The action shifts to Mohali for the third Test starting on Saturday while the fourth match commences on December 8.
“You have got 17 days to Mumbai which is quite a long time, slightly less for Mohali, try and get fit for the next one but definitely be fit for Mumbai,” said Broad.
Broad’s injury has added to the woes of a team already missing leading paceman Chris Woakes who is nursing a knee injury.
Woakes’ replacement James Anderson has just returned to action after recovering from a shoulder injury.
England has Steven Finn and Jake Ball in the squad as pace backup for the marathon five-match series. The first Test at Rajkot ended in a draw.