India appears inclined to play Jasprit Bumrah in the fourth Test against England, set to begin on July 23 at Old Trafford in Manchester, though a final call is still pending.
Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said on Thursday that while no decision has been made, the team is “leaning” toward including the pace spearhead, given the significance of the match in a tied series.
“We know we have got him for one of the last two Tests. It’s pretty obvious that the series is on the line now in Manchester so there will be a leaning towards playing him,” ten Doeschate said after India’s training session in Beckenham.
Team India faces a tough call on whether to play Jasprit Bumrah. While they’ll be looking at the weather and the state of the pitch, the real concern is the star bowler’s long-term fitness.
He’s still recovering from major back surgery in March, and the initial plan was to carefully manage his return by playing him in only three of the five Tests to avoid pushing him too hard.
So far, he has played in two matches—picking up five wickets at Headingley and seven more at Lord’s. He was rested for the second Test at Edgbaston, a decision that drew criticism despite India managing to level the series without him.
Managing the pace attack has become more complex as Mohammed Siraj, India’s leading wicket-taker in the series with 13, has bowled 109 overs—raising concerns about fatigue. Siraj, along with Bumrah and Akash Deep, avoided bowling in Tuesday’s practice, instead focusing on light fitness routines.
Rishabh Pant’s status is also under close watch. The wicketkeeper-batter injured his left index finger while diving during the Lord’s Test. Although he batted in both innings, he was replaced behind the stumps by Dhruv Jurel.
Pant did not train heavily on Thursday but had no visible taping on the injured finger. India is optimistic he will play in Manchester. Whether he will keep wickets remains uncertain.
“We don’t want to go through that again where we have to replace the keeper halfway through innings,” ten Doeschate said. “He batted with pain in the third Test and it’s getting easier for him. But keeping is the last hurdle.”
Jurel may continue to be an option if Pant plays as a specialist batter.
The team is also monitoring left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh, who suffered a cut on a bowling hand finger while fielding during training. The severity is still unclear, and his availability for the Manchester Test will be determined after further assessment.
India bowling coach Morne Morkel filled in during practice, delivering lively spells that tested the batters with bounce and movement.
The squad will travel to Manchester on July 19 and resume training on July 21, ahead of the pivotal fourth Test.
