England paceman Stuart Broad suffered what captain Alastair Cook said he thought was a broken nose after being struck by a bouncer while batting in the fourth Test against India at Old Trafford on Saturday.
But although Broad, named man-of-the-match for his first innings six for 25, was off the field for the rest of the match, England went on to complete a crushing victory by an innings and 54 runs to go 2-1 up in the five-Test series.
Cook said he thought Broad had suffered a broken nose when the all-rounder, trying to hookIndia paceman Varun Aaron for a third six in as many balls, failed to connect with an 88.1 mph (141.8 km per hour) ball that lodged in the gap between the peak of his helmet and the grille.
Opening batsman Cook added it was too soon to tell if Broad would be fit for next week’s fifth and final Test of the series at The Oval.
Immediately after he was hit, Broad immediately signalled for the England physiotherapist to come on and, after several minutes of on-field treatment, with blood coming out of a nose wound, walked off as he retired hurt on 12, with England then 338 for eight.
“Amazing win that!! Watched the last 8 wickets in a hospital! 2-1 One to go come on boys!,” tweeted Broad from his hospital bed.