Chris Woakes suffers cracked thumb ahead of fourth Test

After opener Haseeb Hameed was diagnosed with a finger injury during the third Test at Mohali, England have now been hit with another injury blow. 

While batting on 30 runs in the second innings of the Mohali Test, Woakes was struck on the thumb by a well-directed bouncer from pacer Mohammed Shami which then lobbed to Parthiv Patel for an easy catch behind the stumps.

The 27-year old went for an X-ray after the game and the England management have described it as a "tiny crack" in his thumb.

However, the England management are hopeful that Woakes will play in the fourth Test at Mumbai, which is scheduled to start on December 8 at the Wankhede stadium. 

Currently, the squad has been given a few days off ahead of the Test while opener Haseeb Hameed will be returning to England for an operation on his hand.