India will be without the services of Jasprit Bumrah in the third and final Test match against New Zealand, which will begin on Friday at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai as the fast bowler is reportedly set to be rested. India have already lost the series, having incurred defeats in the series opener in Bengaluru by eight wickets, and in the second match in Pune by eight wickets. It was India's first Test series loss on home soil in 12 years.
According to a report in The Indian Express, Bumrah has been 'rested' with an eye on the Border-Gavaskar Test series, which will begin on November 22 in Perth. With Bumrah being in action since the Bangladesh Test series last month, the team management wants him to recover adequately for the much-anticipated tour, for which the team will be leaving on November 10. Although Bumrah was part of India's first full-fledged training in Mumbai on Wednesday since the loss in Pune, he was flow back to home in Ahmedabad the very night.
The report further revealed that the head coach, Gautam Gambhir, and India captain Rohit Sharma initially wanted Bumrah to rest in the second Test against New Zealand but were forced to change their plan after the team lost in Bengaluru.
“He won’t be playing the Mumbai Test and has flown back home. The Indian team management wanted him to take some rest so that he could recover his body. He will now join the Indian team when the team departs for Australia,” a source informed the national daily.
India remain tightlipped on Bumrah stance
{{/usCountry}}“He won’t be playing the Mumbai Test and has flown back home. The Indian team management wanted him to take some rest so that he could recover his body. He will now join the Indian team when the team departs for Australia,” a source informed the national daily.
India remain tightlipped on Bumrah stance
{{/usCountry}}Earlier this afternoon, Gambhir, in the pre-match presser in Mumbai, was asked if Bumrah's light training session Wednesday, which did not include bowling in nets, hinted at him being rested for the third Test, but the India head coach was reluctant to give out information.
Gambhir said, “I think he’s (Bumrah) just done his preparations, I think we know how the weather is in Mumbai so obviously he needs to conserve his energy as well. So he’s done his bowling, he’s prepared really well and he’s fine. That’s why he’s a senior player, he knows how much he needs to prepare for the Test match.”
With Bumrah out, Mohammed Siraj will likely make a return to the playing XI for the third Test.