Ravindra Jadeja's knee injury 'pretty serious,' could miss T20 World Cup: Reports

Ravindra Jadeja's knee injury is "pretty serious" and the Indian all-rounder could miss the upcoming T20 World Cup.

Jadeja, who picked up a knee injury during the ongoing Asia Cup, is expected to be out of action for an "indefinite period of time," according to an official of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The 33-year-old Saurashtra cricketer will undergo surgery on his right knee.

"Jadeja's right knee injury is pretty serious. He is supposed to undergo a major knee surgery and will be out of action for an indefinite period of time. At this point, if one goes by the assessment of the NCA's medical team, one can't put a timeline on his imminent international comeback," a senior BCCI official told PTI on the condition of anonymity.

Axar Patel was earlier named Jadeja's replacement for the remainder of the Asia Cup 2022.

Jadeja is under the care of our medical team, says Rahul Dravid

Speaking ahead of India's game against Pakistan, head coach Rahul Dravid said that while Jadeja was surely out of Asia Cup, it was too early to say if the all-rounder would return in time for the T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to be played in Australia in October-November.

"Jadeja has injured his knee; he is obviously ruled out of the Asia Cup. He is under the care of the medical team, he is going to see the doctors, see the experts. The World Cup is still a fair bit away, and we don't want to jump to any conclusions and rule him out or rule him in. We'll see how it goes.

"Injuries are a part of the sport; it is part of our job to try to manage them. A lot will depend on rehab and the severity of the injury. I don't want to rule him out or don't want to make too many comments until we have a much clearer picture and a better idea, especially because the World Cup is six or seven weeks away from now," added Dravid.

India and Pakistan are set to face off in a Super Four fixture on Sunday (Sept. 4) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The two sides earlier locked horns in a group game, where it was India who had sealed the match by five wickets.

While it is still not known if Jadeja has sustained an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL), he could be out for at least three months, according to news reports.

It is understood that Jadeja's knee issue has been there for a long time, and the Indian cricketer may having been trying to convert into more of a batting all-rounder across formats in the last year or so.

It is believed that the thumping that his right knee takes while landing on his front foot while bowling has had its impact.

If Jadeja does miss the T20 World Cup, it could be a huge blow for Rohit Sharma and Co as he brings in a balance with his all-around abilities. In 64 T20Is for India, Jadeja has scored 457 runs at a strike rate of 124.52 and has picked up 51 wickets as well.