India face a critical decision regarding the fitness and availability of pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah and wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant for the upcoming fourth Test against England at Manchester. With the series at 2-1 in England’s favour after India’s 22-run loss at Lord’s, the team’s management, along with assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate, are weighing various factors as injuries hit the Indian camp.Is Jasprit Bumrah fit?Team India assistant Ryan Ten Doeschate suggested Bumrah is likely to play in Manchester, given the series is on the line. “We know we have got him for one of the last two Tests. It’s pretty obvious that the series on the line now in Manchester so there will be a leaning towards playing him,” he said.
However, he added, the final decision will consider multiple factors, including weather conditions and strategy for both remaining Tests.“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, and then how that fits in together with The Oval. And looking at the last two games holistically as part of the series,” he noted.Is Rishabh Pant fit?
Another concern in the Indian camp is wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant’s index finger injury from Lord’s. While he managed to bat through pain, he couldn’t keep wickets, with Dhruv Jurel stepping in.During the optional training session on Thursday, Pant stayed away from batting or keeping drills, instead opting for light workouts. There was no taping on his finger, but it’s understood that the pain from impact still lingers.Ten Doeschate sounded hopeful, “He (Pant) will bat in Manchester before the Test.”
Dhruv Jurel and Rishabh Pant (Agency Photo)
“Look, I don’t think you’re going to keep Rishabh out of the Test no matter what. He batted with quite a lot of pain in the third Test, and it’s only going to get easier and easier on his finger. And keeping’s obviously the last part of the process to make sure that he can keep. We don’t want to go through that again where we have to replace the keeper halfway through innings,” he added.He emphasised that while Jurel remains an option, a fit Pant would handle both batting and keeping duties. “Jurel’s in the equation, but I mean obviously if Rishabh’s fit, he plays the next Test and does both,” he noted. Arshdeep Singh injures bowling hand
Adding to the team’s injury worries, left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh hurt his bowling hand during practice. The incident occurred while trying to stop a ball from Sai Sudharsan’s bat. He was later seen with a bandaged left hand, and captain Shubman Gill indicated he might not be able to bat.Ten Doeschate provided an update on Arshdeep’s condition: “Yeah, he took a ball while he was bowling there, Sai had a ball and he tried to stop it and it’s just a cut, so we have to see how bad the cut is.”
Jasprit Bumrah (L) and Arshdeep Singh (R) during a practice session for India ahead of the fourth Test against England. (PTI)
“Obviously the medical team has 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,” he said.
