India's Dilemma: Ravindra Jadeja's Fitness Holds Key to Test Series

The team for the last three Test matches against England will not be revealed until after Ravindra Jadeja's fitness condition is confirmed. The third Test at Rajkot is scheduled to start on February 15, with the series tied at one.

Along with KL Rahul, who was sidelined by right quadriceps soreness, Jadeja was forced to miss the second match of the series due to a hamstring injury sustained during the first Test in Hyderabad.


The National Cricket Academy medical staff has subsequently declared Rahul healthy, although Jadeja's clearance is still pending. There are five days left, and the team management is not rushing.

The meeting of the Ajit Agarkar-led national selection committee was originally scheduled for Friday night, but it has been rescheduled for Saturday.

The selectors are prepared to wait for Jadeja since his presence at his home stadium might significantly affect the result, sources told The Telegraph.

In the days leading up to the Test, Jadeja's health has greatly improved, and a clear image may become apparent. If he passes the fitness test, there's a good chance he'll be called up to the team.

In Hyderabad, Jadeja and Rahul both finished in the top two for India in the first innings, and their presence is anticipated to support a fragile middle-order without Virat Kohli.

The think tank is prepared to hold off on Jadeja until the very last minute. The left-hander is seen to be able to neutralize the danger presented by the spinners, particularly Tom Hartley, given his impressive batting display in the first Test, an insider told The Telegraph.

Despite winning the second Test, India's batting has continued to be their weak point. With the exception of centurion Shubman Gill and double centurion Yashasvi Jaiswal, none of the batters in Visakhapatnam were able to reach a half-century.

The management of the squad is unwilling to take any risks since World Test Championship points are on the line. Any mistakes might result in England gaining ground, which could have catastrophic effects on the series.

Despite the fact that Kohli will undoubtedly miss the series due to "personal reasons," the batting hole he leaves behind has proven to be detrimental. Rajat Patidar battled jitters in his first Test match, while Shreyas Iyer has been dreadfully short on runs.

Now that Iyer has been ruled out as well, the team management is determined to hire Jadeja.

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