In a major update ahead of Day 2 at The Oval, the BCCI confirmed that Jasprit Bumrah has been officially released from India’s Test squad. The star pacer, who was already rested for the fifth and final match of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England, will no longer remain with the team in the dressing room.
Bumrah’s Absence Follows Workload Management Plan
Bumrah’s absence didn’t come as a complete surprise. Before the England series began, the BCCI and team management had agreed that he would feature in only three of the five Tests as part of a workload management strategy.
He played the first, third, and fourth matches of the series. Interestingly, India’s only win so far came in the second Test at Edgbaston, where Bumrah was rested. In that game, India’s pace attack was led by Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, and Prasidh Krishna, and the visitors went on to claim a massive 336-run win.
Standout Performances from Bumrah
Despite sitting out two Tests, Bumrah made a huge impact in the three matches he played. He picked up 14 wickets in the series, including a memorable five-wicket haul (5/74) at Lord’s, earning him a spot on the Lord’s Honours Board.
He also bagged another five-for in the first Test at Headingley. However, despite his brilliance, India lost both the first and third Tests.
In the fourth Test at Old Trafford, Bumrah bowled at reduced speeds (130-135 kmph), likely managing his fitness. Even so, he remained India’s most economical bowler, tightening the run flow as his fellow seamers—Siraj, Anshul Kamboj, and Shardul Thakur—struggled to contain the scoring.
Earlier in the series, Bumrah also became the highest wicket-taker among Asian bowlers in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia) countries, surpassing Pakistan legend Wasim Akram.
Oval Test Update: India Makes Four Changes
For the final match at The Oval, India made four changes to their playing XI. Dhruv Jurel, Karun Nair, Akash Deep, and Prasidh Krishna were brought in, replacing Rishabh Pant, Shardul Thakur, Anshul Kamboj, and Bumrah.
England also made four changes. Stand-in skipper Ollie Pope won the toss and elected to bowl. By stumps on Day 1, India reached 204/6 with Karun Nair and Washington Sundar unbeaten at the crease.
Series at a Glance
England leads the five-match series 2-1. India needs a win in this final Test to draw the series. The Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy remains up for grabs as the decider continues to unfold at The Oval.
India’s Updated Squad for 5th Test:
Shubman Gill (C), KL Rahul (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Kuldeep Yadav, Anshul Kamboj, Arshdeep Singh, N Jagadeesan (WK)
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