England's Shoaib Bashir has been ruled out of the remainder of the Test series against India due to a fractured finger. The injury occurred on the third day of the Lord's Test during India's first innings, when Ravindra Jadeja hit a powerful shot straight back to the bowler. Bashir attempted to take a return catch, but the ball struck his left little finger.
Despite the injury, the 21-year-old off-spinner displayed remarkable resilience in the match. He returned to bat in England's second innings, facing nine balls and scoring two runs. More significantly, he answered his captain Ben Stokes' call in the 55th over of India's second innings, coming back to bowl despite spending much of the innings off the field. With India's Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah frustrating England with a stubborn 35-run partnership, Bashir stepped up to dismiss Mohammed Siraj and seal a dramatic 22-run victory for England.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed that Bashir sustained a fracture and is scheduled to undergo surgery later this week. They also stated that the squad for the fourth Test at Emirates Old Trafford would be named in the next couple of days.
England captain Ben Stokes lauded Bashir's courage and character, calling him an "absolute warrior". Stokes acknowledged Bashir's responsibility with the bat and his crucial final wicket, emphasizing his importance to the team despite the broken hand.
The victory at Lord's, sealed by Bashir's final-wicket heroics, gave England a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. The remaining two Tests are scheduled to be held at Emirates Old Trafford from July 23-27 and The Kia Oval from July 31-August 4.
The injury to Bashir presents a setback for England, who will now need to reshuffle their bowling attack for the crucial remaining Tests. England is yet to announce who will be taking Bashir's place in the squad.