Jasprit Bumrah's limited availability for India in the ongoing five-match Test series has been the talking point right through. He played the first, third and fourth Tests of the series and rested in the second and fifth Tests. With the series on the line, there were hopes of India's premier fast bowler featuring at the Kennington Oval in the fifth Test. But the fans were left disappointed as the visitors rested him, and included Akash Deep in the playing XI.
On expected lines, Ryan ten Doeschate, member of India's coaching staff, was asked about Bumrah's fitness and this is when he revealed that the fast bowler himself had told the management that he would be able to play three games in the five-match series. For the unversed, India are managing Bumrah's workload carefully, especially after he broke down in Australia during the fifth and final Test in Sydney. He played all the matches of the series and the workload was a lot more for him. Since then, he also missed the ICC Champions Trophy, which India won.
"You know, he did say he was going to play three games. He left it up to us which three he played. We've tried to manage the situation. You know, we obviously want to wheel him out, but we also want to respect where his body's at. And on the basis of that, we just felt that it wasn't worth including him in the squad [XI for the Oval Test]. You know, he has bowled a large number of overs. I know it doesn't always seem like that because he's only played three Tests and he only bowled in one innings in Manchester," Ryan ten Doeschate said after the end of play on Day 1.
Bumrah has bowled 119.2 overs in three Tests
Jasprit Bumrah has bowled a staggering 119.2 overs in just three Tests of the series against England. Despite resting in two matches, he has bowled only 19.2 overs fewer than Mohammed Siraj who has played four Tests and is also featuring in the final game of the series. Pointing out the same, Doeschate stated that the management honoured the fast bowler's call to play only three matches.
"But if you look at the loads, he has bowled a lot of overs. And like he did say coming into the tour, he was going to be available for three games. And we just felt it was right to honour that call," he added.
India make two changes to bowling attack
As far as India's playing XI is concerned, they included two fresh bowlers in the line-up - Akash Deep and Prasidh Krishna - and apart from Bumrah, it was Shardul Thakur who made the way for them. With the surface helping the bowlers a lot at the Oval so far, the visitors would be hoping to pick wickets quickly when they get the chance to bowl.
