Ashes 2023: More problems pile up for England, star pacer unsure to play against Australia

Ashes 2023: After the conclusion of the Indian Premier League and the World Test Championship 2023 Final, Australia will take on England in a five-match Ashes series. As of now, Australia have the Ashes and England have to fight extremely hard to retain it. The last time when Australia played the Ashes on English soil in 2019, they comfortably retained 'The Urn' but this time around, it is a different English Test team that has dominated the world in the last 12 months and they start as favourites on their home condition.

Much ahead of Ashes 2023, the ECB is still sweating over multiple injury concerns to their key players. Their skipper Ben Stokes is recovering from a chronic knee problem. As a precautionary measure, the English and Wales Cricket Board has also rested the pace trio of Ollie Robinson, Stuart Broad, and Chris Woakes from the ongoing County Championship fixture. Jofra Archer is still nursing his elbow and seems uncertain to make a return for the upcoming Ashes. Mark Wood on the other hand, much before the start of the 16th edition of the IPL had made it pretty clear that it will be difficult for him to play three or four Ashes Test matches.

More injury concerns pile up for England

James Anderson has been added to England's long injury list as the veteran pacer has hurt his groin while playing County cricket for Lancashire. The 40-year-old has been England's go-to bowler in the longest format and his absence could prove to be a major jolt ahead of the Ashes. Anderson injured his groin during a match against Somerset in Manchester.

Anderson suffered a groin strain on the first day of the match and had to restrain himself from taking the field in the remaining three days of the match. The Three Lions would hope Anderson would recover in time to feature in the five-match Test series against Australia as Ashes has always been a prestigious issue for both sets of players.

READ MORE: BCCI Slaps Another Fine For Nitish Rana For Second Serious Offence In IPL 2023

England Cricket issued an update confirming the above development and they will monitor the progress of the bowler as the Ashes is almost knocking on the door. 

"Lancashire and England seamer James Anderson has sustained a mild strain to his right groin during Lancashire’s LV= Insurance County Championship Division One match against Somerset at Emirates Old Trafford.

"Anderson suffered the injury on day one on Thursday whilst bowling and stayed off the field for the remainder of the match, which ended in a draw today. 

An update on @Jimmy9's fitness 📝🏏

— England Cricket (@englandcricket)

READ MORE: GT vs SRH IPL Live Score, today match latest updates

"His fitness will be assessed nearer the time of the LV= Insurance Test match against Ireland, which takes place at Lord’s starting on Thursday 1 June 2023."

Anderson's participation in the one-off Test against Ireland remains a doubt and it would be a tough task for the player to prove his fitness ahead of the crucial series. Anderson joined another fellow pacer Jofra Archer in the treatment room which also has the likes of Olly Stone and Brydon Carse.

In a major boost Lancashire coach Glen Chapple reveals Anderson's injury is not a major one and the player should be back on the pitch pretty shortly. 

"Jimmy bowled really well in the first innings. He's just irritated his groin. I don't think it's anything too serious.

"We should be positive about his recovery, but obviously he had done it badly enough not to take any part in the game today.

"It just seems like a tweaked groin to me."

Ashes 2023 schedule

• Jun 16-Jun 20, 2023: 1st Test at Edgbaston, Birmingham
• Jun 28-Jul 2, 2023: 2nd Test at Lord's, London
• Jul 6-Jul 10, 2023: 3rd Test at Headingley, Leeds
• Jul 19-Jul 23, 2023: 4th Test at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester
• Jul 27-Jul 31, 2023: 5th Test at Kennington Oval, London