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Shubman Gill remained non-committal about the Indian pace spearhead’s inclusion or exclusion from the playing XI.
Jasprit Bumrah is India’s joint-highest wicket-taker in Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. (Picture Credit: AP)
The big question surrounding Jasprit Bumrah’s availability for the 5th India vs. England Test at the Oval continues, with India skipper Shubman Gill remaining non-committal about the Indian pace spearhead’s inclusion or exclusion from the playing XI.
Addressing the media on the eve of the match, Gill said,”We will take a decision [on Bumrah] tomorrow; the wicket looks very green. So let’s see.”
With England naming four quicks in their playing XI, The Oval pitch is likely to assist the pacers and going by history at the ground, pacers generally get better purchase than spinners here.
Arshdeep Singh Debut on the Cards
And hence India might be tempted to play Bumrah, even though earlier reports did hint the Gujarat pacer might be sitting out this one. Gill, however, did raise hopes of a potential debut for Punjab seamer Arshdeep Singh.
“Arshdeep Singh has been asked to get ready, but we will take a call on the Playing XI after looking at the pitch by this evening. England hasn’t picked a frontline spinner… we have Jadeja and Washi to do the job,” said the skipper.
Both India and England have been battling injuries in their respective camps, and with Bumrah’s workload management in question, India will have to change up their strategy by bringing in Akash Deep, who has reportedly recovered from a hamstring niggle, and Arshdeep could come in place of the undercooked Anshul Kamboj, who made his debut in Manchester.
Reflecting on the challenges of fielding and team combinations, Gill explained, “Fielding, especially on wickets where fast bowlers are used more than spinners, can be difficult. Our fast bowlers and our team are in a good space. Luckily, most players are available. Regarding the combination and looking at the wicket, we’re going to decide about the playing eleven later this evening.”
Asked about England’s surprising decision to drop their specialist spinner Liam Dawson, Gill kept his cards close to his chest about India’s plans but was full of praise for his own all-rounders. “Like I said, we’ll decide on the playing eleven later this evening. Yes, they haven’t gone with a frontline spinner, but they have Bethel and other options. For us, Washington and Jadeja have done a great job with both bat and ball, so for us it’s a no-brainer. Ashwin is being asked to get ready, and as I said, we’ll finalize the decision later tonight after looking at the wicket and the weather for the next five days.”
On the team’s preference for a batting all-rounder at number eight instead of a specialist bowler, Gill was unequivocal. “Washington gives us so much control with the ball and his batting has been a really big plus. We are fortunate to have players in our team who can prevent a collapse in the lower middle order. That was one area we thought we needed to work on, and with him coming in, we have definitely improved.”
A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses, features, live scores, results, stats and everything that’s cricket from all over the globe. Follow @cricketnext
A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses, features, live scores, results, stats and everything that’s cricket from all over the globe. Follow @cricketnext
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Surrey, England
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