Jack Leach out until May as recovery from knee injury continues

Leach hasn't played since suffering the blow during England's first Test of the five-match series in Hyderabad

England spinner Jack Leach's recovery from the knee injury that ended his Test tour of India is likely to keep him out of Somerset action until May.

Leach hasn't played since suffering the injury during the first Test of the five-match series in Hyderabad and confirmed in February that he would undergo surgery on the issue.

Should he only return in May, he would miss at least the first four games of Somerset's County Championship campaign.

In his absence, that almost certainly opens up a spot for Shoaib Bashir, whose early-season plans had been in doubt.

^{Shoaib Bashir is in Somerset's squad to face Kent (Stu Forster/Getty Images)}

Brendon McCullum had suggested it would be "slightly mad" were Bashir – and Lancashire's Tom Hartley – to be left out by their counties after breakthrough tours of India, but Somerset would have done well to fit Leach and Bashir into the same side, given the spring weather.

But Bashir is now the only frontline spinner in Somerset's 13-man squad for their trip to Kent, although allrounder Lewis Goldsworthy also offers a left-arm option.

Somerset are also set to be without Craig Overton, who is recovering from back surgery, and Tom Abell, who tore his hamstring during a warmup match against Exeter University. Jake Ball could make his debut for the county.

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