England Suffers Blow as Jack Leach Ruled Out of Ashes Series. England’s preparations for the Ashes took a hit on Sunday as key spinner Jack Leach was ruled out of the series due to a lower back stress fracture. The injury developed as England secured victory in a solitary Test against Ireland.

“A scan on Sunday in London has revealed a stress fracture, which will keep him out of the forthcoming Ashes Test series,” stated the England and Wales Cricket Board in an official statement.

No replacement has been announced yet for the left-arm spinner from Somerset, leaving selectors with a significant gap to fill for the highly anticipated series against Australia.

Leach was the only spinner named in the 16-man squad for the first two Tests, putting England’s depth in that department to the test.

During the winter tours of Pakistan and New Zealand, Leach impressed and increased his Test wicket tally to 124 in 35 matches.

However, teenager Rehan Ahmed showcased his skills on his Test debut in Pakistan, taking seven wickets in a single match with an average of under 20 runs. Surrey all-rounder Will Jacks is also in contention after featuring in the first two Tests in Pakistan.

England’s head coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes may opt for an all-seam attack, with Joe Root providing a spin option. However, this approach could be risky considering doubts about Stokes’ fitness to bowl due to a knee injury.

Root, on the other hand, is looking forward to focusing on his batting after leading the team in three Ashes series.

“It’s going to be nice to just go and play the game and try to assist where I can for Ben and the other guys, play a slightly different senior role in the team,” said Root.

While Root’s own preparation for the series was not ideal due to his IPL commitments, he believes the experience gained in the IPL was valuable for his overall growth.

“I am not saying it’s not important or a good standard. For where I am in my career, am I going to learn more about myself in that environment? By learning and experiencing something new, talking and discussing the game with greats like Kumar Sangakkara and Brian Lara, I thought that not just for the Ashes, but the rest of the year for me, it would set me up best to perform well and get the best out of myself. I feel ready.”

The first match of the five-Test Ashes series will commence on June 16 at Edgbaston.