NEW DELHI: India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah remains a doubtful starter for the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford, scheduled to begin on July 23 in Manchester. With India trailing 1-2 in the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series, Bumrah’s availability is seen as crucial—especially in light of the pre-series plan that he would feature in only three of the five matches.Having already played the first and third Tests at Leeds and Lord’s, the Indian team management now faces the decision of whether to field him in the fourth or save him for the series finale.Veteran Indian cricketer Ajinkya Rahane has suggested that left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh should step in if Bumrah is rested.“If Bumrah is not playing, Arshdeep is the guy. Because in England, you need a left-arm seamer who can swing the ball both ways, and also, with a different angle, he can create that rough for the spinners. So, if Bumrah doesn’t play, Arshdeep should play the next one,” Rahane said on his YouTube channel.Rahane also weighed in on the team’s spin options, specifically Kuldeep Yadav.
“Depending on the condition of the wicket, I feel Kuldeep should play. If the wicket is similar to the last three Test matches, Kuldeep should play because you need guys who can get you those wickets. Our batting unit is doing really well. Even if you score 25-30 runs less, that’s okay. But you need people who can get you those wickets. You don’t want to depend on your leading fast bowlers every time.”Arshdeep, who has picked up 99 wickets in 63 T20Is, is still awaiting his Test debut. However, his participation in Manchester has been thrown into doubt due to an injury suffered during a practice session.The pacer sustained a cut when he was hit by a ball while training, prompting medical attention.
“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.”With just two matches left in the series, India must win both to clinch a comeback series victory.
