Stuart Broad will miss at least eight matches for England after it was confirmed that he has suffered a torn shoulder muscle.
England paceman will miss at least eight matches
Stuart Broad will miss at least eight matches for England after it was confirmed that he has suffered a torn muscle in his right shoulder.
The Twenty20 captain has been ruled out of two 20-over contests against West Indies at the end of next week, as well as the last match of the one-day series against India at Cardiff on Friday.
But the England and Wales Cricket Board have also said that Broad, who hurt himself bowling in the fourth one-dayer at Lord's on Sunday, will miss the return leg of five ODIs in India in October.
England will therefore be searching for a replacement to captain the team against the Windies in their final two matches of the summer, with vice-captain Eoin Morgan ruled out after shoulder surgery.
An ECB statement read: "England bowler Stuart Broad will miss the final ODI against India and the NatWest Twenty20 series against West Indies, as well as the ODI leg of the India tour, with a muscle tear within his right shoulder.
"Broad may be fit to join the England squad for the Twenty20 fixture scheduled for October 29 in Kolkata."
Weeks out
ECB chief medical officer Nick Peirce added: "Stuart has a muscle tear within his shoulder and will require an initial period of rest and rehabilitation.
"Exact timescales will be determined in due course, but he is likely to be ruled out of cricket for a number of weeks."
There is the prospect of England employing a fifth captain of an arduous summer. Broad, Morgan, and Test and one-day international leaders Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook have all been in charge so far.
Alternatively, Cook, cast for so long as an out-and-out Test batsman who would not be able to adapt adequately to the shorter formats, could be pressed back into action as captain to resume a 20-over career which appeared to have terminally stalled after only his fourth cap almost two years ago.
Broad wrote on
Twitter: "Bad news on the shoulder, torn a muscle, I know which one, just can't spell it."
Steven Finn had to complete the stricken Broad's bowling duties - and dosed up with pain-killers and after an uncomfortable net on the nursery ground it was decided he would be able to bat if necessary as England chased 280-5.
Broad's number eight position was filled instead by Graeme Swann, however, and he was held back to 11, not required in the end as bad weather resulted in a dramatic Duckworth-Lewis tie which meant England clinched the series.
