Haseeb Hameed remained unbeaten at No. 8 in the second innings in Mohali © Associated Press
Haseeb Hameed‘s tour of India has been ended with Alastair Cook confirming he needs to return home to have surgery on his injured hand.
Nineteen-year-old Hameed provided brave resistance on the fourth day on Mohali with an unbeaten 59 off 156 balls but in the post-match presentation Cook said he needed a plate fitted to repair the injury.
Initially he was due to have an x-ray after the third Test finished, but instead it took on the third day with the results sent back to the UK for assessment.
Hameed had enjoyed an impressive start to his Test career after having been overlooked for the two Tests in Bangladesh. He made 82 in the second innings of his Test debut in Rajkot, resisted for 144 balls as England attempted to bat out for a draw in Vizag then shone in another losing cause in Mohali.
England will now need to consider a replacement to the squad ahead of the Mumbai Test on December 8. They have Ben Duckett, who opened in Bangladesh, but he was dropped for Mohali in favour of Jos Buttler, having made 18 runs in three innings during the first two Tests; Gary Ballance is also in the party and could come into the middle order if Root stayed at opener.
Nick Gubbins, the Middlesex left-hander, or Durham’s Keaton Jennings would be candidates as opening batsmen in county cricket while Essex’s Tom Westley could be another option. All three are currently in the UAE as part of the Lions’ winter programme.
A left-field choice, to try and counter India’s spinners, would be Sam Billings, the Kent wicketkeeper-batsman who has played ODI and T20 cricket and is renowned as an excellent player of spin. However, that route would still require looking for another opening solution.
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo