Subhayan Chakraborty in Dharamsala
Ahead of their much-awaited top-of-the-table clash against New Zealand at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala, India suffered an injury scare that sent alarm bells through the side. Suryakumar Yadav, in contention to replace the injured Hardik Pandya in the XI, suffered an injury during the team’s practice session on Saturday evening.
As the team trained intensively on the eve of the crucial match, Suryakumar faced an unexpected setback. A throwdown from Raghu struck him on the upper part of his bat, and the impact seemed to jar his right wrist, causing significant pain.
Suryakumar, known for his attacking strokeplay, hunched over in the middle of the net, clutching his wrist, as his teammates and support staff quickly surrounded him. Among them were the team’s physio, batting coach Vikram Rathour, and head coach Rahul Dravid, who quickly assessed the situation.
The seriousness of the injury is yet to be confirmed, but the immediate response indicated that it was no ordinary scare. After being led out of the nets, Suryakumar received attention from the medical staff. An ice pack was applied to his right wrist to reduce the swelling and discomfort. The entire process lasted approximately ten minutes. The medical staff taped up his right wrist as well.
India’s plans for the game had already been thrown out of gear by Pandya’s ankle injury, and this setback for Suryakumar could make it a double blow. It adds to the uncertainty over the playing XI.
Meanwhile, another incident during the practice session caught the eye, as Ishan Kishan was bitten by a honeybee on the back of his head, leading to his swift exit from the nets.
