India captain Shubman Gill has confirmed that left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh is in line for a potential Test debut in the fifth and final Test against England at The Oval, with a decision on pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah’s availability to be taken on match day. India trail 1-2 in the five-match series and need a win to level it 2-2.
Speaking ahead of the crucial match, Gill said, “We will take a decision tomorrow. Wicket looks very green. So let’s see.”
With Bumrah already playing three Tests as per the pre-decided announcement, Arshdeep has been put on standby to slot into the playing XI if needed. “He has been told to be prepared,” Gill said. “We will take a call on the final XI after assessing the pitch later today.”
If selected, Arshdeep, who has featured for India in white-ball cricket, will be making his first appearance in the Test format. The left-armer’s inclusion would bring a fresh dimension to India’s pace attack, especially on a green-tinged Oval surface.
India are also likely to retain their spin combination of Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar.
“We are confident in Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar to handle spin duties effectively,” Gill said. This could mean Kuldeep Yadav, the left-arm wrist spinner could continue to warm the bench for the entirety of the tour.
‘Every match has been very close’
Acknowledging the competitiveness of the series, the India skipper noted that each match had been tightly contested, and his team was hopeful of finishing on a high.
“After four days, it was often hard to predict a winner,” he said. “Every match has been very close. It’s been a good learning experience for us and we are hopeful of finishing on a high.”
Gill also played down the on-field tensions that have surfaced throughout the series, including his own verbal exchange with Zak Crawley at Lord’s and the late-day standoff involving Jadeja at Old Trafford.
“The relationship is fantastic,” he said. “When you’re on the field, you’re trying to win; both teams have been very competitive, and sometimes in the heat of the moment, things happen. But once the match is over, there is mutual respect, so there are no regrets for anything that has happened on the field.”
On Gambhir’s spat with Oval curator
Addressing the incident involving India head coach Gautam Gambhir, who was involved in a spat with Oval pitch curator Lee Fortis during an optional training session, Gill said he had no idea why the curator made a fuss about the 2.5 metres distance from the main wicket.
“I don’t know what happened exactly yesterday, why the curator refused,” Gill said. “We have played four matches here before; no one refused us. So much cricket has been played, and we saw the wicket. Don’t know what the fuss was all about.”
Gambhir was reportedly asked to stay 2.5 to 3 metres away from the surface, an instruction Gill said was unprecedented.
“As long as I can remember, there has been no such instruction. As long as you’re wearing rubber spikes or are barefoot, you can get a close look at the pitch. And we have watched and played enough cricket. I don’t know what the fuss is all about,” he said.
Gill was quick to defend his coach when asked if the confrontation reflected pressure or frustration.
“Not really. If a pitch curator comes and asks us to look at the wicket from 3 meters away, that is not something that has happened to us before,” he said.
Despite the flashpoints, Gill reiterated that the team is focused on the final game, with no lingering ill-feeling between the sides.
“Once you’re done with the match, you move on to the next one… Whatever happened in the last game is gone. We want to move on and perform our best in the next one.”
A drawn series, Gill added, would be a strong result for a team still finding its feet under new leadership.
“After four days, it was often hard to predict a winner,” he said, calling the series a “valuable learning experience.”