England faced a big setback ahead of their upcoming five-match Test series against India, starting June 20, with key pacer Gus Atkinson getting ruled out of the series opener due to injury.
Gus Atkinson suffered a hamstring issue during the recent one-off Test against Zimbabwe and was subsequently ruled out of the ongoing ODI series against the West Indies. The 27-year-old was initially expected to be fit for the India series but recent developments suggest that his return might take more time than expected.
In the game against Zimbabwe too, Atkinson bowled only 13.2 overs before walking off the field.
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On the other hand, England also sweat over the fitness of another pivotal pacer, Jofra Archer. Archer, too, was ruled out of the Windies ODIs because of a thumb injury that he picked up while playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) for the Rajasthan Royals.
Olly Stone is another fast bowler in the Three Lions ranks who has been ruled out of the India tour of England after suffering a knee injury. He picked it up during Nottinghamshire’s pre-season tour of Abu Dhabi in March and underwent surgery in April which has forced him to be sidelined for a minimum of 14 weeks.
Adding to England’s pace-bowling woes, Jamie Overton is the latest to join the list after fracturing his finger in the first ODI against the West Indies. While the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed that he will undergo an extensive rehabilitation program, his exact return date remains uncertain.
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