Ahead of the fourth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at Old Trafford, Manchester, the Indian cricket team has called up 24-year-old Haryana pacer Anshul Kamboj as an emergency addition to the squad. This development comes in the wake of mounting injury concerns in India’s pace department, particularly to promising left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh.

Injury woes for India’s pace attack

The Indian team, currently trailing 1-2 in the five-match series against England, has been hit hard by injuries. Arshdeep Singh, who was tipped to make his Test debut in Manchester, suffered a deep cut on his bowling hand during a practice session on Thursday (July 17) while trying to stop a shot played by Sai Sudharsan. The injury required stitches, and early medical assessments have ruled him out for at least 10 days, making him unavailable for the fourth Test.

Adding to India’s concerns is the uncertainty over Akash Deep’s fitness. The young pacer left the field during the third Test at Lord’s after experiencing discomfort and is now reportedly nursing a groin niggle, leaving his availability for the next match in doubt. With the series on the line, the selectors swiftly moved to bolster the fast-bowling bench strength.

“Arshdeep has a deep cut and has had stitches; he will take at least ten days to get completely fit. The selectors have decided to add [Anshul] Kamboj to the squad,” a BCCI official was quoted as saying to the Indian Express.

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Implications for Team India

India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is set to return for this high-stakes Test, after being rested as part of his workload management policy. With Akash Deep facing fitness questions and Arshdeep ruled out, Kamboj is likely to be on standby as cover, providing a much-needed reserve for the physically-taxing English conditions.

The fourth Test will begin on July 23 at Old Trafford. With England holding a 2-1 lead, India faces a must-win situation to stay alive in the series. The inclusion of Kamboj signals not just faith in India’s next generation of fast bowlers, but also underlines the challenges of a gruelling away campaign.

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