Gill said, “We knew prior to the series that we would get Jasprit for three games, but we had that sorted beforehand.”
Photo: IANS
On the eve of the second Test against England, India skipper Shubman Gill cleared the air around the availability of pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, but insisted that the final call on his participation will be taken later in the day once the team management reviewed the wicket dished out for the contest.
Originally set to play only three of the five Tests to protect his fragile back and maintain his workload, the 31-year-old premier pacer’s participation in the second Test was uncertain after he bowled 43.4 overs in the series opener in Headingley. While the rest of the seamers (Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and Shardul Thakur) struggled, the world no.1-ranked Bumrah returned a fifer in the first innings in Leeds.
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Skipper Gill seemingly managed Bumrah’s workload in the middle of the first Test, as he was not asked to bowl even when England were 85 runs away from the target of 371.
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“Jasprit Bumrah is definitely available. We are trying to find the right combination which can pick 20 wickets and score runs as well. Will take the final call after looking at the wicket for the final time today,” Shubman said at the pre-match press conference on Tuesday.
After his impressive spell in Headingley, there were growing calls of playing the premier quick in all five Tests, but head coach Gautam Gambhir put all suggestions to rest, saying India would stick to the original plan of playing Bumrah in only three Tests.
Speaking about the same, Gill said, “We knew prior to the series that we would get Jasprit for three games, but we had that sorted beforehand. Yes, obviously we would miss him, but we have our plans sorted.”
India to play extra spinner
Conceding that the team lacked a second spinner in the Headingley Test, Gill reiterated that a final call on including an extra tweaker will be taken after assessing the wicket. With Ravindra Jadeja’s spot already confirmed, it is going to be a choice between Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar. “We will decide which spinner plays after looking at the pitch. We felt in Leeds that an extra spinner will help contain the flow of runs, especially in the third or fourth innings,” he added.
India’s problem to deal with: Stokes on Bumrah’s playing chances
England captain Ben Stokes didn’t mince words when asked about Jasprit Bumrah featuring in only three Tests in the series, saying bluntly, “That is India’s problem to deal with.”
Hailing India’s vice-captain Rishabh Pant as a dangerous player, Stokes reserved praises for the wicketkeeper-batter, saying he loved watching his bat. “Even though he is in my opposition, I love watching him play. When you let a talent like him play freely, you see what happens,” Stokes said.
Reflecting on the team’s confidence after going 1-0 up in the series, Stokes said, “It was a good week last week. Hopefully we can do something similar this week. We are confident in chasing totals in the fourth innings.”
On Jofra Archer’s return to the Test environment, Stokes said it’s great to have him around. “It’s been a long time, but it’s very important for Jof to be around the team. Hopefully, he will play a part in the series,” he added.
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