With five-Test series against England on the line, India received a boost on Tuesday (August 14) as speedster Jasprit Bumrah was declared fit and available for selection for the third Test, starting on Saturday (August 18) in Nottingham.
As per the reports in Hindustan Times, Bumrah was seen bowling in the nets at full throttle on Wednesday. And if India skipper Virat Kohli continues with his inconsistent selection policy in his 38th Test as a captain, then Bumrah might play his first Test on English soil.
Bumrah received his dream Test cap during the South Africa tour earlier this year. Featuring in his maiden Test series, he claimed his maiden five-wicket haul in the third Test at Wanderers and led a foundation for India’s historic 63-run victory over the Proteas in January. The 24-year-old scalped 14 wickets at an average of 25.21 during the hard-fought Test series that the Kohli and company lost by 2-1.
Bumrah’s inclusion could also mean Umesh Yadav getting snubbed from the playing XI once again. Despite bowling impressively in the first Test at Edgbaston, Umesh was left out from the Lord’s Test at the expense of wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav. He was not picked for any of the three Tests in South Africa on pacer-friendly pitches. Notably, Umesh was the workhorse during the extended home season in 2016-17.
When asked about Umesh Yadav’s omission from the second Test, vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane had said: “The answer to your question will be, I feel, when Kuldeep gets four/five wickets tomorrow, it’ll be completely different. But see, it’s about what captain and coach (Ravi Shastri) think. In the end, it’s the captain’s decision and I felt Virat is backing Kuldeep and we’ll have to wait and see.”
Amidst overcast conditions at Lord’s, Kuldeep bowled just 9 overs out of the 88.1 overs that England faced. The chinaman bowler didn’t manage to pick up a wicket and conceded 44 runs.
Meanwhile, off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has also been deemed fit for the third Test. He was hit in his bowling hand while batting in the second innings of Lord’s Test.
