Shardul Thakur sidelined for seven weeks, likely to miss Australia T20Is and Tests

Team India pacer Shardul Thakur's has been ruled out for at least seven weeks due to injury and is in a race against time to be fit for the tour of Australia which begins in November. The injury will cost him the selection in the upcoming tour in the land down under and as per the current situation, he will miss the first-two legs of the series.

The tour of Australia will start from November 21 beginning with a three-match T20Is and later, they are slated to play a four match-Test series from December 6. The tour also includes a three-match ODI series from January 12.

“Even if I try hard, I won't be able to get fit before the second Test in Australia [which starts on December 14]. A place in the T20Is or the Tests will be difficult," Thakur told The Indian Express about his injury update.

"I will be eyeing the one-dayers instead. Let's see how my rehab goes. I will continue with my training for the next seven weeks" he added,

Thakur got injured on his Test debut against West Indies after bowling just 1.4 bowlers. But the injury didn't stop the 27-year-old to build the crucial 28 run-stand with Ravichandran Ashwin for the last wicket in the first innings. The injury led him to lose the place in the ODI series against Windies as speedster Umesh Yadav was brought in his place for the first two matches.

This is not the first time when an injury cost Thakur. Earlier, he suffered a groin injury during the Asia Cup group match against minnows Hong Kong. Sidharth Kaul replaced him in the squad for rest of the tournament.

There was lot of questions raised about his selection in the Test team regarding the fitness status after Asia Cup to which Thakur said, “The injury from the Asia Cup was different to this one," Thakur noted. 

"During the Test match, I felt like my muscle was torn off. I started limping and when Virat (Kohli) asked me what was wrong, I told him it felt like a tear."