Dravid fractures jaw, may miss SA series

Mirpur:

Star India batsman Rahul Dravid on Monday sustained a nasty blow that left him with a broken jaw and the former captain is now a doubtful starter for next month's Test series against South Africa.

Batting on 111, Dravid tried to duck a Shahadat Hossain low bouncer that hit him on the ear guard of the helmet. The former India captain soon left the field and was taken to Square Hospital in Dhaka, where he is under observation at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) as a precautionary measure.

Indian team manager Arshad Ayub said they were yet to receive the x-ray report.

Bangladesh Cricket Board President Mustafa Kamal, who visited Dravid at the hospital, said the player had suffered two light fracture.

"Rahul has two light fractures (on his jaw) and has been kept under observation. He may be released tomorrow or day after," Kamal said.

"He can have light food. Doctors said he can go back home after being discharged from the hospital. It is upto him and the Indian board to decide on going back home," he said.

The hurriedly-arranged two-Test series between India and South Africa will start on February 6 in Nagpur and Dravid is likely to be out of action.

The second match of the series is slated to begin in Kolkata from February 14, followed by a three-match One-day series.

Another Indian batsman, Yuvraj Singh, had injured his left-hand thumb on Sunday and did not come out to bat on Monday.

The flamboyant southpaw was taken to Apollo Hospital and will bat tomorrow when India resume their first innings on day three, according to Ayub.

India sent out Harbhajan Singh ahead of Yuvraj on Monday but the off-spinner was out in the last ball of the day.