In the fifth and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, which begins at The Oval on Thursday, India is probably going to play without their top pacer Jasprit Bumrah. In order to address workload issues and prioritise Jasprit Bumrah long-term fitness, the BCCI medical team has recommended him to take it easy. Jasprit Bumrah replacement in the starting lineup is probably going to be Akash Deep, who missed the fourth Test because of a groin injury.
The decision to exclude Jasprit Bumrah from the last Test was not made at the last minute.
The speedster was only supposed to play three of the five Test matches on the England trip, according to early plans made by the team management, selectors, and Bumrah himself. He missed the second Test but played in the first, third, and fourth. Concerns regarding a persistent back problem prompted the decision to rest him for the series finale, despite his outstanding run and his status as the second-highest wicket-taker with 14 scalps.
During the Manchester Test, the 31-year-old bowled 33 overs, the most in an innings in his career, and gave up more than 100 runs for the first time. The balls clocked above 140 km/h dropped from 42.7% at Headingley to only 0.5% at Old Trafford, indicating a notable slowdown in his velocity throughout the series.
Akash Deep’s groin ailment is completely healed.
Akash Deep is the front-runner to return after Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out. With a match total of 10 wickets, including an incredible 6 for 99 in England’s second innings, the Bengal seamer enjoyed an unforgettable second Test at Edgbaston. The circumstances at The Oval, which have historically benefited seamers, might complement his bowling style despite a less successful performance at Lord’s.
Akash made an impression during India’s practice session at The Oval after fully recuperating from the groin ailment that held him out in Manchester. Mohammed Siraj, who has played in all four Test matches, is anticipated to take the lead in speed once more. Despite his hefty workload—he has bowled the fourth-most overs of any seamer in the series (139)—assistant coach Sitanshu Kotak said that Siraj’s weekly load, as measured by GPS monitoring, stays within reasonable bounds.
Arshdeep Singh, who has recovered from a hand injury, and Prasidh Krishna, who hasn’t played since the second Test, are among India’s alternatives for the third seamer selection call. With Dhruv Jurel taking wickets and Rishabh Pant out, Shardul Thakur might also keep his spot for batting depth.
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