Sam Curran to miss the third Test against India

England all-rounder Sam Curran will not be available for the third Test starting on February 24, as he hasn't travelled to India yet. Curran was set to be available for the last two Tests, but the England Cricket Board decided to delay the all-rounder's inclusion to prevent bubble fatigue.

Sam Curran, along with Mark Woods and Jonny Bairstow, were expected to join England's squad this week to begin their 6-day quarantine. However, Curran has been held back for a while, and will only become available for the fourth Test of the series.

An England Cricket spokesman said to the Daily Mail in this regard:

"Sam's been given a few extra days to recharge his batteries after a lot of cricket and time in a behind-closed-doors environment."

The England Cricket Board has taken big steps to take care of their players in bio bubbles, especially those who often end up being in reserves and not playing much even after spending a long time in isolation. Players are also provided with regular mental health check-ups.

High praise for Sam Curran - who do you think is the best young all-rounder in the world right now?#SLvEng pic.twitter.com/VF8qC6wFCa

— ICC (@ICC) January 16, 2021

Following the four-match Test series, England will play India in five T20Is and three ODIs. Given Sam Curran's all-round ability, he would be a front runner to play in the white-ball format.

The ECB would be hopeful that the extra break will be beneficial for the 22-year-old.

"It was Sam Curran who hurt us"- Ravi Shastri in 2018

England vs West Indies: Day 5 - Second Test #RaiseTheBat Series

Sam Curran established himself in international cricket after his impactful performances against India in the 2018 Test series at home. England won that series 4-1, and Sam Curran was the Man of the Series.

India's coach Ravi Shastri reserved huge praise on the youngster at that time, saying that Sam Curran made a key difference:

"Virat and me were asked to pick the Man of the Series (for England), and we both picked Sam Curran. Look where Curran has scored, and that is where he hurt us. More than England, it was Curran who hurt us,” Shastri told ESPNcricinfo in an interview in 2018.

Sam Curran doing Sam Curran things 🙌Scorecard/Clips: https://t.co/yjhVDqBbVN#ENGvPAK pic.twitter.com/JKzf01LoiP

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) August 13, 2020

The all-rounder has played 21 Tests in his short career, averaging 25.55 with the bat. With the ball, the left-hander has picked up 44 wickets at an average of 32.52.