Jasprit Bumrah's Selection Dilemma Looms Over India-England Test Series

Regarding Jasprit Bumrah's inclusion in the playing XI for the third Test in Rajkot, the national selectors are undecided.

In order to control workload, it was first determined that Bumrah would have a break. Consequently, Mohammed Siraj was left off the Visakhapatnam team in order to guarantee his availability for the next Test.


After careful consideration, the national selectors and the team management decided that Bumrah should be rested in Rajkot since the pitch is normally not particularly helpful to pacers.

While a new Siraj would take his spot in the Rajkot XI, the fast bowler's presence would be crucial in Ranchi and Dharamsala, where he might benefit from the more favorable circumstances.

However, preparations have been reassessed in the previous several days. The viewpoint of vice captain Bumrah has also been taken into account.

Sources told The Telegraph that Bumrah's rest at this point in the series, which is tied at one wicket, could mean giving up some of the psychological edge gained from his devastating spell in the second Test, according to captain Rohit Sharma, head coach Rahul Dravid, and chief selector Ajit Agarkar.

The English hitters who have struggled to cope with Bumrah's inswitching yorkers and reverse swinging have experienced a significant mental shift. But managing his workload is also crucial, given his busy overseas schedule and the fact that he is recovering from back surgery for a stress fracture.

Bumrah would need to take a break in Ranchi in order to be fit for the last Test if he plays in Rajkot. In the two Tests, the top-ranked bowler has already bowled over 58 overs and claimed 15 wickets at an average of 10.66.

Agarkar-led committee will virtually convene to choose the team for the remaining matches, at which point a final decision on the matter would be made.

Virat Kohli has already notified the selectors of his unavailability before to the commencement of the Tests, and according to The Telegraph, he will miss the whole series due to "personal reasons."

The National Cricket Academy (NCA) medical panel has cleared KL Rahul to play in Rajkot, which is wonderful news. There is also optimism for Ravindra Jadeja. The all-rounder's participation will be contingent upon a conclusive evaluation of his hamstring injury. It was discovered that throughout the previous few days, he had significantly improved.

India's leading run scorers in the first Test match in Hyderabad were Rahul and Jadeja; their return would bolster the insecure middle order.

It's probable that the selectors chose to postpone the meeting until Friday in order to get more information about the players' fitness levels. The report from the NCA will be presented to the selectors. On February 15, the third Test gets underway.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Press Time staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.