The extent of the swelling of the 32-year-old’s knee meant he was unable to maneuver freely, proscribing him to a most of four-over spells for the rest of the Test. Leach was in a position to bowl 26 overs in the primary innings, however may solely ship down 10 in the second. He was nonetheless in a position to dismiss Shreyas Iyer, as England sealed victory by 28 runs.
An announcement from the ECB learn: “He’ll fly dwelling from Abu Dhabi in the following 24 hours, the place the England staff have been staying forward of the third Test in Rajkot, which begins on Thursday.
“Leach will work intently with the England and Somerset medical groups in respect of his rehabilitation.”
England confirmed they won’t be calling up a substitute for Leach, who has been Ben Stokes’ major spinner all through his tenure. It’s one other blow for a preferred member of the dressing room, who had solely simply returned from a stress fracture of the again that ruled him out of final summer season’s Ashes.
It means England’s spin choices at the moment are restricted to the younger trio of Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir – who made his debut in the second Test as a substitute for Leach, his Somerset team-mate – alongside Joe Root because the staff’s sole allrounder.
Leach’s absence means England are more likely to veer from the one-seamer method for the following Test, which begins on Thursday. The vacationers might look to companion James Anderson with both Mark Wooden (who performed the primary Test earlier than being changed by Anderson for the second) or Ollie Robinson.
As ever, a lot will rely upon the evaluation of the floor from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum. The squad will arrive again in India on Monday forward of their first coaching session on Tuesday on the Niranjan Shah Stadium.
