England could be without their two leading bowlers for the second Test against India at Lord’s starting on Thursday after James Anderson joined Stuart Broad in missing Wednesday’s final pre-match practice session.
Broad suffered a calf problem after pulling up during Tuesday’s warm-up and a thigh injury prevented Anderson taking part in Wednesday’s net session.
The veteran new-ball duo, who both featured in last week’s drawn series opener at Trent Bridge, are England’s two most successful Test bowlers of all time with a combined 1,145 wickets from 312 matches.
England have not played a Test without either one of the pair since October 2016.
Lancashire’s Saqib Mahmood was added to the squad on Wednesday fresh from playing in the Hundred for the Oval Invincibles.
Anderson and Broad’s injuries are bound to leave the England and Wales Cricket Board facing fresh questions over a domestic fixture schedule which left both bowlers short of match practice heading into a showpiece series in the absence of red-ball county cricket.
Mahmood, 24, is uncapped at Test level but was named man of the series during the recent one-day internationals against Pakistan after taking nine wickets in three games.
He is the second additional call-up to the England squad following the inclusion of off-spinning all-rounder Moeen Ali.
Mahmood now joins Ollie Robinson, Mark Wood, Craig Overton and all-rounder Sam Curran in vying for a place in England’s pace attack.
England could make several changes for to a side that was largely outplayed in a rain-affected clash in Nottingham – the first of a five-match series.
Nottinghamshire batsman Haseeb Hameed could force his way into a top three where both Dom Sibley and Zak Crawley have been struggling.
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© Agence France-Presse
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