Jasprit Bumrah all but confirmed to play the fourth India vs England Test
As the visitors get ready for the do-or-die clash in Manchester, the Indian assistant coach, Ryan ten Doeschate, has opened up about major aspects of the team combination. Jasprit Bumrah has been confirmed to play only three of the five India vs England Tests. The pace spearhead has already played two of them, the opening Test at Headingley and the last fixture at Lord's. Now, as England stand 2-1 in the lead, India has a steep hill to climb if they want a strong finish. The fourth India vs England match can make or break the series for the guests. Clearly, India would be keen on playing Bumrah in Manchester.
"Will be leaning towards playing him": Indian assistant coach talks about Jasprit Bumrah playing the fourth India vs England Test
The Lord's Test emerged as a heartbreaking fixture for India. The visitors faltered at some crucial junctures, but Ravindra Jadeja kept the contest alive right till the last session of Day 5. An unfortunate dismissal for Mohammed Siraj, however, ended the matter for India as England claimed a lead in the series with their 22-run win. Now, the India vs England series stands 2-1 as the groups gear up for the Manchester Test. India has not won a Test series in England since 2007. While currently on the back foot, the visitors can still aim to break the long-standing curse.
To do that, however, India needs to keep their top performers in the scheme of things. Jasprit Bumrah has played two matches and remains available for only one more if the initial plans of Bumrah's workload management are still in effect. India played the Edgbaston Test, the second fixture in the series, sans Bumrah. The pace attack, headlined by Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj, put up an impressive show as India claimed a 336-run victory, their first-ever Test win in Birmingham. However, the stakes are comparatively higher in the Manchester Test, and India would hope to keep Bumrah in the attack.
Meanwhile, India's assistant coach, Ryan ten Doeschate, talked about the possibility of Bumrah's availability for the Manchester Test. While the coach deferred the final decision to a later date, Doeschate agreed that the importance of the fixture calls for Bumrah's inclusion. Doeschate also confirmed that Bumrah is available for only one of the upcoming matches.
"We'll make that call in Manchester. We know we've got him for one of the last two Tests. I think it's pretty obvious the series is on the line now in Manchester, so there will be a leaning towards playing him," he said.
Another factor hinting towards the possibility of Jasprit Bumrah playing at Old Trafford is an injury update from the Indian camp. The assistant coach informed that left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh endured a cut on his bowling hand during the practice session ahead of the fourth India vs England match. The 26-year-old is yet to earn his Test debut. However, with Bumrah's limited availability, it was anticipated that Arshdeep would get his maiden Test cap for the upcoming match. But with the speedster getting injured in the nets, India's pace combination for the next Test remains in limbo.
"He took a ball while he was bowling there. So he hit a ball, and he tried to stop it and it's just a cut. So we have to see how bad the cut is. Obviously, the medical team have taken him off to see a doctor and obviously, if he needs stitches or does he not, that will be important to our planning for the next few days," he said.
Doeschate's statement about Arshdeep Singh suggests that the newcomer was central to India's planning for the Manchester Test. However, with his fitness now unclear, the management would be inclined to play Jasprit Bumrah at Old Trafford. Apart from Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, who has bowled the most overs in the India vs England series so far, remains a crucial prospect along with Akash Deep.
