Saini joins casualty list; Team India; Down Under

Brisbane

Injuries seem to be haunting the touring Indian cricket team, as Navdeep Saini became the latest casualties in the tour Down Under.

Saini walked off the field during his 8th over (7.5) on the opening day of the fourth and final Test against Australia. Rohit Sharma came in and completed his over.

While, four Test caps were shared between Saini, Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur, with T Natarajan and Washington Sundar making the debut, the list which was produced after the toss saw four changes in the side which comprised of inexperience side. India's team picked five bowlers, including four quicks.

In the morning, India made the unusual move of giving a Test debut to a reserve spinner, Washington Sundar, who was held back for help in the nets, ahead of the specialist spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who has been with the squad all along. It was perhaps done to shorten the tail, but at the same time, four fast bowlers covered for their inexperience.

The 28-year-old Saini had bowled five balls of his eighth, and the innings 36th, over during the second session when he had to walk off the field because of the pain. With this, his further participation in the match, which began this morning, has been thrown into serious doubt.

"Navdeep Saini has complained of pain in his groin. He is currently being monitored by the BCCI medical team," read a short statement from the BCCI on the one-Test-old bowler's condition.

"Navdeep Saini has now gone for scans," added a brief update that came after the initial note.

Vice-captain Rohit Sharma completed Saini's over.

India have lost several key players, such as pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, to a spate of injuries that have marred their overall gutsy show against Australia.

Saini had made his Test debut in Sydney and picked up four wickets in the match.