ENGLAND believe Zak Crawley’s freak injury could have been prevented if they were treated the same as India.
Kent batsman Crawley, 23, was ruled out of the first two Tests after slipping outside the England dressing-room on Tuesday and landing on his wrist.
A scan revealed no break — but Crawley has a sprain and inflammation of the joint.
England are privately angry that Crawley and the rest of their players had to walk on to the field via a marble floor with studs in their boots.
One source described it as “like a skating rink”.
The Indian dressing-room in Chennai has carpet in the same area.
England laid towels as an emergency precaution before a strip of carpet was put down. But one area by the door was not covered in time.
Captain Joe Root said: “We initially just put some towels down and, since then, they have put down something more substantial. We know we’ve got to be careful.
“It’s not something you first think about when you turn up to a ground — trying not to fall over.
‘HOPE NO ONE FALLS AGAIN’
“It was a real freak accident and hopefully that will be the last of it and no one falls again.
“It’s really frustrating — for Zak, in particular.
“It’s hard for him to take, especially off the back of trying to get as well-prepared as possible.”
Crawley was initially embarrassed at falling over but, within minutes, it became clear the injury was serious.
In the absence of Surrey’s Rory Burns, who was on paternity leave, Crawley was used as an opener in the 2-0 series win in Sri Lanka.
But he struggled and was dismissed four times by left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya for scores of 9, 8, 5 and 13.
Crawley was due to return to his favoured No 3 position against India. In his most recent innings at three, he scored 267 against Pakistan in Southampton last August.
