England has been hit with a blow as they confirm that Reece Topley, their key opening bowler, will miss the remainder of the tournament due to a fractured finger sustained during their recent loss to South Africa.
Topley’s unfortunate injury occurred when he was struck on the finger during the opening powerplay of the match at the Wankhede Stadium. He left the field for immediate treatment and returned with his finger heavily strapped.
However, his inability to hold the ball with the broken index finger contributed to England’s bowling struggles, allowing Heinrich Klaasen and Marco Jansen to take control.
The England Cricket Board officially reported, “Scans in Mumbai after the Wankhede Stadium match revealed the extent of the injury. Topley will return to the UK within the next 24 hours.”
While England has yet to announce Topley’s replacement, coach Matthew Mott dismissed the idea of Jofra Archer stepping in, as Archer is still on the path to recovery from his own injury.
Mott stated, “Jofra is not available for selection. He has reported to the medical staff, but he won’t be able to participate in the remainder of this campaign.”
Possible replacements include fast bowlers Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, and George Scrimshaw, who featured in ODIs leading up to the tournament.
Alternatively, Rehan Ahmed could be considered if England opts for a spin replacement. There’s also a chance that Jason Roy and Ben Duckett might be called up as additional batters.
Topley’s injury is the latest setback in his career, marked by fitness challenges. Despite overcoming four stress fractures in his back, he missed England’s successful T20 World Cup campaign last year due to an ankle ligament rupture from tripping over a boundary sponge.
This injury leaves the 29-year-old with no further role to play in England’s Indian campaign, making it imperative for Jos Buttler’s team to mount a significant comeback following three defeats in their first four matches.
