The talismanic pacer has now flown back home.
After already going down 2-0 in the three-match Test series against the Kiwis, hosts India will be hoping to avoid a whitewash in the final IND vs NZ Test in Mumbai, starting from Friday (November 1).
However, ahead of the fixture, it has now been known that India will be without the services of the talismanic pacer Jasprit Bumrah.
The decision to rest Bumrah comes so that he can recover adequately before the Indian team flies to Australia on November 10 for the highly-anticipated five-match Border Gavaskar Trophy assignment. Reportedly, Bumrah has already flown back home to Ahmedabad on Wednesday night (October 30).
“He won’t be playing the Mumbai Test and has flown back home. The Indian team management wanted him to take some rest so that he could recover his body. He will now join the Indian team when the team departs for Australia,” a source privy to the developments told Indian Express.
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The report also states that the Indian team management initially wanted Bumrah to rest for the second Test in Pune too but were forced to play him as India had lost the first Test match in Bengaluru.
Bumrah came with the Indian team to practice on Wednesday afternoon ahead of the series finale but didn’t bowl in the nets. Instead, he only did his drills and physical activity.
With Bumrah rested, Mohammed Siraj is expected to get a chance to play in the third Test.
Bumrah has already bowled 41 overs across the last two Tests in the series and also participated in both games against Bangladesh. For India to perform strongly in Australia, with a World Test Championship final berth on the line, they’ll need Bumrah fresh and ready to make an impact.
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