Picture Credit: X
All eyes are now set towards India’s next big assignment, which is a five-match Test series against England. However, with less than a month left for the highly-anticipated series, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is still looking in to select their best squad with a few star players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin announcing retirement from the longest format of the game.
However, as per several reports, the India squad is set to be announced by May 24 or 25 with the selection committee scheduled to meet on Saturday (May 24). Moreover, the BCCI will also have a tough task to select the skipper in the Test format, after Rohit Sharma put down curtains to his Test career earlier this month. However, Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant are likely to be the front-runners after Jasprit Bumrah conveyed his stance to the Indian cricket board.
Jasprit Bumrah’s shocking admission ahead of England Test series leaves BCCI in fix
With several reports claiming that Bumrah has denied to takeover the captaincy reins in the longest format, another shocking story has come in front. According to a report in The Indian Express, star pacer Jasprit Bumrah is unlikely to play all five Tests in the upcoming tour as he has reportedly informed the BCCI that his body can’t take the toll of more than three Test matches. “With Jasprit Bumrah already informing the board that his body can't take the toll of more than three Tests matches, the selection committee were known to be in a dilemma on whether to fly out with a similarly iffy bowler," the report said, as quoted by NDTV Sports.
It is to be noted that Bumrah last played all five Tests in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 and was forced to leave the field midway through the final Test due to a back injury. However, the injury just aggravated as he then went onto to miss the Champions Trophy.
Furthermore, while Bumrah’s unavailability for the entire series comes as a huge blow, his bowling partner and star pacer Mohammed Shami is also unlikely to travel to England. According to ESPNcricinfo, a member of the BCCI medical staff travelled to Lucknow to assess Shami's fitness level before Hyderabad's fixture against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Friday, May 23.
However, it hasn't been confirmed if the selectors have made up their minds about giving up on Shami for the series, but it is highly likely that they will play safe and drop Shami unless a favourable report comes from the medical staff.
