CRICKET AND INDIA

India's aches and pains

'With the toe bone connected to the foot bone, and the foot bone connected to the ankle bone, and the ankle bone connected to the leg bone…'

You might have grown up learning about the human anatomy by humming the lyrics to ‘Dem Bones’, but word is that schools across the country now plan on employing pictures of the Indian cricket team to do the same.

Jokes apart, given the spate of injuries over the past few months, STESKA has decided to give you you're very own biology class. Here's a glossary of Injured India Inc:

1. YUVRAJ SINGH - Lung infection, Fracture in left index finger

The man of the 2011 World Cup had no opportunity to enjoy his moment of glory. Thrust into the IPL he led a side destined for defeat. Soon after, he pulled out of the West Indies tour citing a lung infection. Yuvi got a look in into the Test side at Nottingham but a fracture to his finger put plans of cementing his place on the standstill yet again.

GAUTAM GAMBHIR - Shoulder injury, Left elbow injury, Concussion on head, Blurry Vision from concussion

Gambhir may be forgiven to believe that his stars aren't aligned all that well these days. After a match winning performance in the WC Final, things have gone downhill. He suffered a shoulder injury in the IPL but continued to play which led to a club vs country controversy. After skipping the Caribbean tour he came back into the side but was hit on the elbow during the Lord's Test and had to sit out at Trent Bridge. Another injury awaited him in the 4th Test when he hit his head on the ground in attempt to take a catch. He suffered a concussion. This was followed by a series of he is fit/ he isn’t fit messages from the Indian team before he was finally pulled out of the ODI squad and sent home.


SACHIN TENDULKAR - Inflammation in bone of big toe

The master blaster had suffered a fracture on the sesamoid bone of his right big toe 10 years ago which kept him out of the team for a few months. The injury was never to completely heal and meant Sachin wore specially designed shoes to prevent adding stress to it. The injury flared up once again as Tendulkar hit a few balls in the nets prior to the first ODI in England. Sachin sat out for the ODI, visited a specialist and then officially pulled out of the ODIs. The much talked about 100th hundred will have to wait.

ROHIT SHARMA - Fracture in right index finger

He joined the Indian team in England for the limited overs internationals. Impressive performances in the tour games in the lead up made it look like the talented batsman was the fresh blood India needed. It wasn't to be. He could score just one run in the T20 and when he came out to bat in the first ODI he was struck on his finger with the very first delivery he faced. They physio coming out and yanking his finger to get it back in place didn't really appear to help matters. Rohit went off injured and was later ruled out of the rest of the series.

MS DHONI- Sore hands

This is the injury-in-waiting. It's a known secret that continuous keeping has had its toll on MS Dhoni's hands. These days he is always spotted with thick bandaging beneath his gloves. His sloppy work behind the stumps and at times indecision to go for catches has cost the Indian team in England. Dhoni's former mentor Paul Nixon diagnosed the problem as sore hands. Dhoni hasn't yet skipped a match for India due to the problem but it is clearly having repercussions and if he decides to play in the CLT20 the soreness is likely to aggravate.


VIRENDER SEHWAG - Shoulder injury, Hearing loss due to labyrinthitis of left ear

After a hefty workload of non-stop cricket that included the World Cup, Sehwag went on to lead Delhi in a disastrous IPL campaign and had to withdraw midway due to a shoulder injury. Surgery in May forced him to miss the West Indies tour and the first two Tests in England. He then suffered an ear infection due to a loud noise during the course of rehab at the NCA. Sehwag was declared fit and brought back into the team for the third Test. India's hopes for a messiah didn't last long as Viru had a horrendous stay at the crease in England and promptly made his way back post the Tests. Some said he returned because his shoulder had still not healed. The BCCI says he was sent back because of the ear infection that was causing headaches. Either way, the outcome remains the same.

ZAHEER KHAN - Right ankle injury, Hamstring strain

The one thing that India needed to compete in England was a fit and raring to go Zaheer Khan. He missed the West Indies tour due to an ankle injury presumably sustained during the IPL. A stint at the NCA and he was proclaimed fit for England. Day one of the Lord's Test and Zaheer broke down mid-way with a supposed hamstring injury, derailing India's hopes as he limped off the field. The team management kept changing their stance on his situation - frequently claiming he was fine and would take the field soon. He went on to miss the next Test and bowled exactly 3 overs in a tour game before withdrawing from the series claiming his ankle injury had flared up once again. He had surgery on the troubled ankle and it will take more than just rest for him to return to being the bowler he once was.

HARBHAJAN SINGH - Abdominal muscle strain

A severe and prolonged dip in form from India's frontline spinner Harbhajan Singh had everyone but the selectors asking questions about his place in the team. He bowled sparingly in the second Test vs England at Trent Bridge and the team management claimed it was because of pain in the abdomen. The injury wasn't apparent when he was batting but he was diagnosed with a 'rare abdominal strain' post the match and packed off home. The latest word is that he is fit and raring to go for the Champions League (but of course). Speculation is still out on whether he actually needed rest to recuperate or was it an extremely generous way of asking him to sit out without dropping him.