England right-hand batter Jos Buttler will miss the fifth Ashes Test at Hobart following a fractured left index finger. Buttler will fly back to England where he will be having a check-up by ECB’s medical team.
The veteran right-hand batter Jos Buttler will miss the fifth Ashes Test against Australia at the Hobart after getting a fracture in his left index finger. Buttler will fly back to England where he will be having a check-up by ECB’s medical team.
Meanwhile, Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes have injured themselves in the right thumb and left side strain respectively. They will be assessed in the coming few days to ascertain their fitness for the final Test of Ashes.
Buttler injured himself during the first innings of the fourth Test in MCG, with Ollie Pope taking the gloves in the second innings. However, he batted in the second innings where he scored 11 of 38. The wicket-keeper batter does not have a memorable Ashes as he ended up scoring 107 runs in all the matches with an average of 15.
“Buttler is going home after this game, it’s quite a bad injury. It was a real disappointment and shame to not have him at Hobart. The way he stood up for the team shows his character,”
Joe Root said in the post-match presentation after England scripted a thrilling draw at the SCG.
“It’s quite a bad injury, so it’s a really disappointing shame for him and the team but its part and parcel of playing Test cricket, sometimes you’ve got to take these things.
“It’s been a difficult tour, but we stood up and found a way to get a result out of this game,”
added Root.
“We wanted to put pride back into the badge. The way we went about it in this game, we did that. We know there’s a long way to go. It would be nice to front up again next week and go one better.”
England’s most probable replacement Sam Billings has played 25 ODIs and 33 T20Is for England, looks to make his Test debut and take over the wicket-keeping and batting responsibilities from Jos Buttler after the fitness of Bairstow is questioned who was struggling with an injury problem. The Kent cricketer, who played for Sydney Thunder in the 2021-22 BBL, has cleared a PCR test after he arrived in Sydney. He is presently in isolation in the team hotel and is set to take another PCR test.
“Sam Billings had a negative PCR test following his arrival into Sydney yesterday. He is currently isolated in the team hotel. He will have one additional PCR test before bridging into the main group. Subject to receiving a negative test, he will fly to Hobart with the main party,”
ECB’s media release said.
The fifth and final Test of the Ashes series between the two rivals; England and Australia will start in Hobart from January 14.
