Blow for Bangalore: Wasim Jaffer is out of action for three weeks (file photo) © Getty Images

The struggling Bangalore Royal Challengers team have received another blow with Wasim Jaffer suffering a fracture in his hand, one which will keep him out of action for three weeks.

Jaffer picked the injury during the game against Chennai Super Kings on April 28 and it gradually worsened to the extent he couldn't hold the bat yesterday. X-rays have revealed a fracture and Bangalore will once again have to grapple with opening woes.

"It's a huge blow as Jaffer has been our best opener," Martin Crowe told Cricinfo. "He has really worked hard to adapt to Twenty20 format and it's a pity that he would be out for three weeks."

Crowe hinted that J Arunkumar, the domestic player with a List A average of 33.96 from 100 games, might be given a chance in the upcoming encounters.

Bangalore have tried five different opening combinations - Jaffer and Rahul Dravid, Shivanarine Chanderpaul and Dravid, Jaffer and Bharat Chipli, Jaffer and Virat Kohli and Jaffer and Praveen Kumar - but nothing has worked so far. Jaffer has scored 110 runs in 99 balls from five games and none of his partners have really fired. That 37 is the highest opening partnership they have had, and 13, their second-highest, says a lot about their problems at the start.

Bangalore, wallowing near the bottom of the pool with five losses from seven games, next face Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens on May 8.