Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Matt Renshaw returns to field after after undergoing knee scans

Matt Renshaw went for scans to the hospital

Nagpur, Feb 10: In a major relief for Australia, their middle-order batter Matt Renshaw returned to the field after undergoing scans following a knee injury he sustained during the warm-up session ahead of day two of the ongoing first Test against India here on Friday (February 10).

Renshaw, who was picked in the playing XI ahead of Travis Head raising quite a few eyebrows, had left the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium for X-rays on his right knee, with Ashton Agar coming on as his substitute.

His involvement in the ongoing Test was in doubt following the injury, further compounding Australia's problems in the gruelling series with pacers Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc also missing the opener due to injuries.

However, the 26-year-old returned to the field later in the afternoon after passing a fitness test. Renshaw, who has so far played 12 Tests, returned to the national setup for the third Test against South Africa at SCG in January and was retained in the squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

The middle-order batter was trapped leg-before for a first-ball duck as the visitors slumped to 177 in the first innings on Thursday (February 9). This is the second time in two months that Renshaw has been hit by bad luck.

He was forced to isolate and use a separate change-room during the Test match against the Proteas after returning positive for COVID-19.

Australia would be banking on the return of young all-rounder Cameron Green and pace spearhead Starc -- both laid low by finger injuries -- for the second Test to boost their attack and bolster their morale. The 32-year-old Hazlewood is also a doubtful starter for the second Test in Delhi, starting February 17.

(With PTI inputs)