Written by Vaibhav Tripathi
In a major blow to England’s Ashes hopes, Jack Leach, their left-arm spinner, has been ruled out of the upcoming series against Australia due to a stress fracture of the back. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed this news on Sunday, June 4th.
Leach experienced lower-back pain during England’s victory over Ireland and underwent a scan in London, which revealed the stress fracture. As a result, he will not be able to participate in the Ashes series, commencing on June 16th at Edgbaston.
The ECB stated in a press release, “England Men’s spinner Jack Leach has been ruled out of the LV= Insurance Men’s Ashes series with a low back (lumbar) stress fracture.”
This announcement came after the ECB had recently announced a 16-member squad for the first two matches of the Ashes series, including Leach.
With Leach’s absence, the ECB will now focus on selecting his replacement for the five-match series. The upcoming series holds great significance for both teams, and England will need to find a replacement who can fill Leach’s role effectively.