Jack Leach ruled out of India Tests

England spinner Jack Leach has been ruled out of the remainder of the Test series against India, the ECB confirmed in a media release. Leach, who played the first Test in Hyderabad, had injured his knee and, as a result, missed the second Test in Visakhapatnam. The left-arm spinner will fly home from Abu Dhabi, where the team has set-up camp ahead of the Rajkot Test, in the next 24 hours. England have decided not to name a replacement for him.

The Ben Stokes-led side have the services of Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir as the two primary spinners with Joe Root chipping in as their third option when required.

"He [Leach] will fly home from Abu Dhabi in the next 24 hours, where the England team have been staying ahead of the third Test in Rajkot, which starts on Thursday. Leach will work closely with the England and Somerset medical teams in respect of his rehabilitation," the ECB said in a release.

England deciding not to call-up another spinner could mean that they could play two seamers in Rajkot with one of either Mark Wood or Ollie Robinson partnering James Anderson. Wood played in the first Test, but failed to pick up a single wicket, while Robinson is yet to get a game.

The five-match series is level at 1-1. England won the first Test in Hyderabad by 28 runs, while India bounced back in the second game at Visakhapatnam to win it by 106 runs.