India head coach Gautam Gambhir said they had not ruled out playing pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah in the final test against England at the Oval this week as they look to avoid a series defeat.
Bumrah has already played three tests in the series, the maximum workload team management had targeted for the bowler after he spent three months on the sidelines with a back injury before returning to action in April.
India snatched an unlikely draw in the fourth test at Old Trafford on Sunday but trail the hosts 2-1 in the five-match series.
“We haven’t had any conversation around the combination for the last test,” Gambhir said.
“No decision has been made on whether Jasprit Bumrah will play or not. Ultimately, whoever plays, they will try and do the job for the country.”
India captain Shubman Gill suggested it might be left up to Bumrah to make the call.
“If he feels like he’s fully fit and available for us, I think it would be a great deal for us,” Gill told the BBC.
India went into the fourth test with a depleted bowling attack having rested the injured pace duo of Akash Deep (groin) and Arshdeep Singh (hand).
Bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy had already returned home after a knee injury cut short his tour.
Anshul Kamboj made his test debut in Manchester but Gambhir said they would have a full set of fit bowlers at their disposal for the test at the Oval, which begins on Thursday.
“All the fast bowlers are fit,” Gambhir said. “There are no injury concerns.”
However, India will be without stumper-batter Rishabh Pant, who has been ruled out of the series finale after fracturing his foot while batting in India’s first innings in Manchester.
(Reuters)
