Once more, the Indian team will be without the injured wicketkeeper-batsman KL Rahul in the upcoming fourth Test against England in Ranchi. Jasprit Bumrah, the main pace bowler, has been omitted from the squad before the February 23rd Test, a measure taken for his workload management.
Meanwhile, KL Rahul remains unavailable due to his ongoing recovery from a right quadriceps injury. Rahul’s availability for the fifth and final Test in Dharamsala depends on his fitness.
Jasprit Bumrah was released “keeping in mind the duration of the series and amount of cricket he has played in recent times,” a BCCI statement said.
Before the fourth Test between India and England in Ranchi on Friday, Jasprit Bumrah has been let go from the squad, as stated in a BCCI media release on Tuesday.
“The decision was taken keeping in mind the duration of the series and amount of cricket he has played in recent times,” the BCCI statement added. Meanwhile, KL Rahul is ruled out of the fourth Test. “His participation in the final Test match in Dharamsala is subject to fitness,” the BCCI said.
The choice to give Bumrah a break was anticipated, given his workload of 80.5 overs in the initial three Tests. Bumrah, the top wicket-taker in the series with 17 dismissals from three matches, played a pivotal role in India’s triumph in the second Test in Visakhapatnam.
In line with workload management, India had previously rested Mohammed Siraj for the second Test, and he later contributed to India’s remarkable 434-run victory over the visitors in Rajkot on Sunday.
India is in a favorable position to secure the series in Ranchi, but if they fall short, the team will be in dire need of Bumrah’s contributions for the fifth and last Test in Dharamsala, starting on March 7.
Rahul stood out as one of India’s top batsmen in the initial Test in Hyderabad before succumbing to the same injury he experienced in last year’s IPL. He notably secured the only century for India in the two-match drawn Test series in South Africa in December.
Pacer Mukesh Kumar, released from the squad for the third Test in Rajkot to participate in a Ranji game for Bengal, has re-joined the squad in Ranchi.
The new list of players representing India in the fourth Test
Rohit Sharma (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Rajat Patidar, R Ashwin, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (WK), KS Bharat (WK), Devdutt Padikkal, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep.
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.
