England vs India 2014: Stuart Broad likely to be rested for Old Trafford Test

Stuart Broad

According to reports from the Mirror, Stuart Broad’s knee injury might force England head coach Peter Moores to rest his new-ball bowler in the 4th Test match against India at Manchester.

The 28-year-old missed the limited overs fixtures against Sri Lanka and West Indies this season owing to tendinitis in his right knee and it is reported that he is yet to recover completely. The bowler, who recently joined an elite list with fellow pacer James Anderson as the third pair to register 500 Test wickets, survived the Rose Bowl Test, despite the recurrence of his knee problem.

It is also learnt that the right-arm seamer’s problems are very severe and has hot baths nearly every night in pursuit of some sleep. Stuart, the son of former English international Chris Broad, has picked up 10 wickets in the series so far. There is no official statement released yet regarding his fitness, but the intense pain Broad is undergoing because of his chromic knee problem is definitely a concern for the England team management.

With the series tied at 1-1 and with 2 more matches to play in the series, the fourth Test will be the most crucial one in the series. It can also be noted that India’s frontline pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has an injury scare as well, with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni admitting that the Uttar Pradesh bowler is “tired” due to his swollen ankle.

Broad is the fourth bowler to suffer fitness problems in the middle of this series after Ishant Sharma missed the last Test with a “sore leg” and Liam Plunkett (left ankle discomfort). Steven Finn has been named as the replacement for Plunkett in England’s squad for the fourth Test.