Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja miss fourth day as India injury troubles mount

Pant is suffering with elbow pain and Jadeja has dislocated his left thumb - both blows came while batting against Australia's seamers

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Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja both missed the fourth day of India’s third Test against Australia, with the visitors’ injuries problems on the tour continuing to wreak havoc.

Coming into the third Test at Sydney, India were already without Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav and KL Rahul due to fitness problems, while captain Virat Kohli is unavailable, having returned home on paternity leave.

The absences of Pant and Jadeja, therefore, have exasperated an already-difficult situation; the nature of Covid-19 restrictions mean that replacement players cannot be flown out to join the squad midway through.

Wicketkeeper Pant, who has been selected ahead of Wriddhiman Saha for the second and third matches of the series, did not take to the field due to elbow pain suffered when he was hit while batting in India’s first innings.

Jadeja, meanwhile, has dislocated his thumb. Both players were taken to hospital for scans, though continued batting after being hit initially.

For Jadeja, this is the latest physical issue to interrupt his tour, having missed the T20I leg with concussion and hamstring trouble.

Saha replaced Pant behind the stumps on the fourth day but would not be able to bat in his place, should the young left-hander be unable to take the field himself.