Leach, a left-arm spinner, bowled just 16 overs on a grinding day for the tourists in Hyderabad as India piled on 421-7 to stretch their first innings lead to 175.

"He banged his knee last night, the first dive down at fine-leg. Then he banged it again today and it's giving him a little gyp to be honest," Patel, a former New Zealand spinner, told reporters.

"You noticed in the outfield he was a little sluggish trying to get to balls, but he stuck at it and I thought he actually bowled really, really well."

Patel continued: "That's what Jack does for this team, he'll always put in. But it's a bit of a shame from where he's come, to dive on one at fine-leg and all of a sudden you're hobbling around.

"He'll be back, he's one of the strongest guys in the team. We've had to share the load and the I thought the guys did really well."

Joe Root and debutant Tom Hartley took two wickets each and had to share the load due to Leach's injury.

Leach bowled six spells including two of four overs each in the entire day. He gave away just 30 runs and bowled four maiden overs.

Patel hopes the bowler will take the field come day three.

"I hope he's not (restricted)," said Patel. "He's got another night to rest it, he's a tough bloke and he'll be raring to go.

"He's never going to shirk the responsibility of the job he has but it's about being smart as well. We've got four Tests to go and another innings at the back end of this game. We need a key man like Jack."

The former off-spinner added: "It is sore enough. You watch him in the outfield and I don't think it's a graze.

"For him to come back and keep bowling the overs he did...I believe he'll be back in the fourth innings."

Leach dismissed skipper Rohit Sharma for 24 on Thursday after England posted 246 following their decision to bat first at the start of the five-match series.