Shaw sidelined for Test after fielding mishap

INDIA suffered a significant setback ahead of the first Test against Australia yesterday when young opening batsman Prithvi Shaw was ruled out with an ankle injury on the third day of a tour match against the Cricket Australia XI.

The 19-year-old Shaw sustained serious ligament damage while attempting a catch on the boundary and, after scans at hospital, was declared unable to play in the first Test of the four-Test series which begins at Adelaide next Thursday.

Team officials hope he will be fit for the second Test at Perth beginning December 14.

Shaw is one of the fastrising stars of India cricket after becoming the youngest India batsman to score a century on Test debut during October’s home series against the West Indies.

He was a certainty to open the batting in the first test with either Lokesh Rahul or Murali Vijay and his absence will likely weaken the India team.

Shaw attempted to catch a lofted shot from Max Bryant on the deep mid-wicket boundary. He appeared to have secured the ball but turned his ankle as he tried to stay inside the boundary rope.

He fell to the ground in pain, was assisted from the field and taken to hospital where scans revealed the seriousness of his injury.

“Shaw underwent scans this morning and the reports revealed a lateral ligament injury,” the Board of Control for Cricket in India said in a statement.

“Shaw will be unavailable for the first Test against Australia in Adelaide. He will undergo an intensive rehabilitation program to hasten the recovery.”

Shaw was on crutches when he returned to the ground later on the third day. He watched his teammates endure a long day in the field as the Cricket Australia XI reached 6-356 at stumps in reply to India’s first innings of 358. Mohammed Shami was the best of the India bowlers with 3-67.

Meanwhile, Virat Kohli’s buttons have already been pushed in the lead-up to the Test series, with the superstar miffed by an umpiring decision at the SCG yesterday.

Kohli and his teammates believed Umesh Yadav had run out D’Arcy Short early on day three of the tour game, when the opener was on 26.

Umpire Gerard Abood turned down the appeal, giving Short the benefit of the doubt, and that was that. The match doesn’t have a third umpire.

Kohli’s body language suggested he was unimpressed by the verdict, especially after watching a replay on the venue’s scoreboard.

Short, who went on to score 74, confirmed that was the case.