Bumrah didn't play the second Test at Edgbaston
The conversation about India’s playing XI rages on every time a match is lost, no matter the format or the conditions. As they began the Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy with a loss, pundits were demanding to include the Indian pace spearhead in the playing XI in Headingley.
But there were doubts over his fitness, which have been there even before the series began as India were coming off a three-month long Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 in which Bumrah featured in 12 matches and bowled close to 30 overs.
He bowled only a few overs on the final day of the first Test which raised concerns over his fitness and even though he took part in the net sessions, bowling at full tilt, India went with Akash Deep, who claimed a 10-wicket haul in the match to set up a massive victory.
He was back in the playing XI for the third Test at Lord’s and got his second five-wicket haul in the series and played a valiant 54-ball knock for 4 runs in the second innings when India’s top and middle-order collapsed in a heap.
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While many have suggested that Bumrah must play the Manchester Test as the series is on the line, India’s assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate felt that the management is tempted to play him due to the must-win nature of the next Test.
“We will still make that call in Manchester, as we know we’ve got him for one of the last two Tests. It’s pretty obvious the series is on the line now in Manchester, so there will be a leaning towards playing him. But again, we have got to look at all the factors – how many days of cricket are we going to get up there? What do we feel is our best chance of winning that game?” the former Dutch all-rounder told reporters.
Doeschate also provided an update on left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh’s injury which he suffered during a net session on Thursday.
“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 doesn’t need stitches that’s going to be important to our planning for the next few days,” Doeschate said.
India are also stuck in a dilemma to drop Karun Nair who has suffered with poor form, batting at No.3 with former opener Deep Dasgupta suggesting that the visitors should pick Sai Sudharsan in the playing XI.
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