NEW DELHI: Jasprit Bumrah may not be part of the third and final Test against New Zealand in Mumbai. While Bumrah was present when the team started training at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday, he only participated in light fitness exercises and fielding drills, without bowling in either of the training sessions.
Although Bumrah does not have an injury, it is unclear whether the team management decided to rest him or if Bumrah himself requested the rest, according to ESPNcricinfo.
The news of Bumrah potentially missing the match came shortly after head coach Gautam Gambhir stated that all players were available for selection, downplaying concerns about Bumrah not bowling during practice.
“I think he [Bumrah] is just done his preparations,” Gambhir said on Thursday.
“I think we know how the weather is in Mumbai, so obviously he needs to conserve his energy as well. So he’s done his bowling, he’s prepared really well, and he’s fine. That’s why he’s a senior player, he knows how much he needs to prepare for the Test match,” he said, according to ESPNcricinfo.
Bumrah has played all four Tests of the home season so far, bowling the third-most overs (90) and taking the third-most wickets (14). Recently appointed as the team’s vice-captain, he is expected to lead the team at the start of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in November, as Rohit Sharma is likely to miss the first Test due to personal reasons. Given his key role as the leading bowler, India wants Bumrah to be fully fit for the upcoming five-Test series, which starts on November 18 and runs until January 7.
During the two days of training at the Wankhede, there were no clear signs from the team management that Bumrah would miss the match. Assistant coach Abhishek Nayar even noted that India’s recent Tests haven’t gone the full distance, implying that Bumrah’s workload was not a concern.
“In the two Test matches that he’s bowled [against New Zealand] around 20-25 overs. So he hasn’t bowled a lot,” Nayar said on Wednesday, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
“Yes, there will always be a thought process about his workload. Also we played two games that we’ve not had five-day cricket, it’s more three, three-and-a-half. So he’s got ample rest. But Booms is very important to us and his workload will always be something on our mind,” he added.
The pitch at the Wankhede is not expected to offer much help to fast bowlers. The red soil should provide good bounce, and the early-morning moisture combined with the new ball might offer a brief opportunity for fast bowlers to make an impact. However, it is the spinners who are likely to play a more significant role. With India already losing the series 2-0–marking their first home series defeat in 12 years–the final Test is effectively a dead rubber, though there are valuable World Test Championship (WTC) points at stake. India is currently at the top of the WTC table and is competing for a spot in the final at Lord’s in June 2025. (ANI)