Picture Credit: BCCI/Twitter
India speedster Jasprit Bumrah may not return to action anytime soon after being released ahead of the fourth Test. While the right-arm pacer has already left Team India's bio-bubble, he has also been rested for the upcoming T20I series against the Three Lions. Notably, Bumrah had made a request to BCCI to be released from India’s squad owing to personal reasons. The 27-year-old featured in his first Test match in India against England at Chepauk after having played 17 overseas matches. Notably, this was the longest wait for an Indian bowler.
After the conclusion of the four-match Test series, followed by five T20Is, the teams are also set to participate in the three-match ODI series. According to a statement released by Cricbuzz, Jasprit Bumrah may not even play in the ODI series. In his absence, other bowlers might get an opportunity. In addition, Bhuvneshwar Kumar is expected to lead the pace attack in the T20I series with the likes of T Natarajan, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar aiding him in his bowling duties. The same set of bowlers could well be named for the ODI series.
Read More: Jasprit Bumrah released from India's Test squad ahead of fourth Test
Bumrah was rested in the second Test and only bowled six overs in the first innings of the third Test on a spin friendly surface. Bumrah finished the series with four wickets across two Test matches against England.
Varun Chakravarthy doubtful for limited-overs series after failed fitness Test
Meanwhile, Varun Chakravarthy may well have to wait longer to make his international debut after he failed to clear a mandatory fitness Test at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). The same has reportedly been confirmed by BCCI and team officials, as per a Cricbuzz report. Chakravarthy, apparently, could not clock the required 17.1 mark in the Yo-Yo Test recently.
Although he might get another chance to better his result, it remains unlikely that he will be able to improve his Yo-Yo result in a short span of time. Earlier, Chakravarthy had also been ruled out of the T20I series against Australia owing to an injury after earning his maiden India call-up post an impressive IPL 2020 with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
India’s T20I squad
Virat Kohli (Captain), Rohit Sharma (vice-captain), KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Yuzvendra Chahal, Varun Chakravarthy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Rahul Tewatia, T Natarajan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Navdeep Saini, Shardul Thakur