Jasprit Bumrah, the vice-captain of the Indian cricket team, is set to rejoin the squad for the concluding Dharamsala Test against England. The 30-year-old fast bowler, who has been in exceptional form throughout the series, was rested for the fourth Test in Ranchi to manage his workload ahead of a busy schedule that includes an IPL campaign and the T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies.
Bumrah, who took 17 wickets in the first three games of the series, was replaced by Bengal seamer Akash Deep for the Ranchi Test. With the Dharamsala Test expected to favor fast bowlers, India also has Mohammed Siraj and Mukesh Kumar available for selection.
In other news, senior batter KL Rahul has officially been ruled out of the Test due to a quadriceps injury that resurfaced after the series-opening Test in Hyderabad. As per reports from Cricbuzz, Rahul was sent to London for expert medical advice. Given his crucial role in the team and the lingering stiffness in his right quadriceps, the BCCI, selectors, and team management are hesitant to take any risks with him.
Meanwhile, Washington Sundar has been released from the squad to participate in the Ranji Trophy semifinal fixture for Tamil Nadu against Mumbai, starting on March 2. If required, Sundar will rejoin the Test squad in Dharamsala after the domestic match.
The updated squad for India's 5th Test includes Rohit Sharma (captain), Jasprit Bumrah (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (WK), KS Bharat (WK), Devdutt Padikkal, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, and Akash Deep.
(Source: Cricbuzz)
