Former India captain Anil Kumble, on Monday, urged the team management to push Jasprit Bumrah to play the final two Test matches of the series after the visitors suffered a heartbreak at Lord's. Chasing 193, India were bowled out for 170 runs on Day 5 in the final, thus losing by 22 runs. The defeat saw India once again trail in the five-match series, as England secured a 2-1 lead.
BCCI confirmed before the start of the series that Bumrah will play just three Test matches in the tour of England to manage hos workload. Head coach Gautam Gambhir had confirmed the same and hence benched him in the second Test despite repeated pleas to the team management not to rest him after his one-man show with the ball in the series opener in Leeds last month.
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In the absence of Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep had stepped up, picking up a five-wicket haul each in Birmingham as India won by a record 336 runs to level the series.
{{/usCountry}}In the absence of Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep had stepped up, picking up a five-wicket haul each in Birmingham as India won by a record 336 runs to level the series.
{{/usCountry}}However, as India suffered a defeat in the third Test match at Lord's, Kumble urged Gambhir to push Bumrah to play in Manchester, warning that his absence would make India's defeat a certainty and could subsequently end the series there.
"I would certainly, if I'm a part of that group, I would certainly push Bumrah to play the next game because that's crucial. If he doesn't play and then you lose the Test match, that's it. Series is done and dusted. I think Bumrah should play both the Test matches. I know he said, I'm only going to play three. We have a long break after this. You don't need to play the home series. You can take a break if you want. But Bumrah should be playing the next," he told JioStar on Monday after the end of the Test match in London.
The fourth game will begin next week on July 23.
India, as of now, have chosen to remain tightlipped on their plans surrounding Bumrah. Earlier on Monday, after the end of the Lord's Test, captain Shubman Gill was asked about Bumrah's availability for the remaining fixtures. He simply replied, “You'll get to know soon.”
India have never won a Test match in Manchester before. In nine appearance at the venue, five ended in a draw, while remaining four in favour of England. The last time India played in Manchester was in 2014 and the MS Dhoni-led side had lost by an innings and 54 runs.