India vs England Third Test: Tourists lose as Haseeb Hameed leaves tour to fly home with broken finger
HASEEB HAMEED overcame the pain of a broken finger and scored a brave half-century – but could not stop England losing the Third Test by eight wickets.
The teen sensation was then sent on the first plane home to have a metal plate inserted into his hand, because of a fracture in his little finger.
It meant India went 2-0 up in the series with two matches to play but the 19-year-old Lancastrian’s skill and toughness at least gave England something to cheer.
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Hameed was left stranded on 59 not out as England were dismissed for 236 in their second innings – setting India a modest victory target of 103 runs. Joe Root had earlier made 78.
India required just 20 overs to knock off the runs with wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel hustling to 67 not out from just 54 balls.
The diagnosis will decide whether he stays on the tour or goes home.
He was unable to open England’s second innings after being struck by the ball that dismissed him on Saturday.
It aggravated the blow on the same finger he received while batting in the previous Test in Vizag. He did not field at any stage in the match here.
Hameed finally came out to bat at No8 on Tuesday and concentrated on survival for most of his innings. But when he was joined by last man James Anderson, he went on the attack.
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He hit a string of boundaries and reached his fifty with a slog-sweep for six off Ravi Ashwin.
Despite his dodgy digit, Hameed again looked more comfortable and with a better method than most of his more experienced team-mates.
He took no stronger medication than a couple of paracetamol before taking guard.
Nightwatchman Gareth Batty was lbw to let-arm spinner Jadeja to the second ball he faced on day four.
Jos Buttler, playing his first Test for 13 months, took the aggressive route. He got off the mark with a straight six but then holed out to wide long-on attempting something similar.
Root, who opened in Hameed’s place, was largely untroubled until falling to a sharp slip catch by Ajinkya Rahane off the bowling of Ravi Jadeja.
Woakes was struck on the side of the helmet aiming a hook shot against Mohammad Shami. After a lengthy delay, Shami sent down another bouncer next ball and this time Woakes lobbed up a catch to wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel and was out for 30.
In the same over, Adil Rashid was also bounced out – caught at fine leg for a duck.
Anderson helped Hameed put on 41 for the last wicket but then the swing bowler was run out attempting a second to keep Hameed on strike.