3 reasons why Jasprit Bumrah shouldn't be rested for the 4th Test vs England
As Team India coasted to a 434-run win in the third Test against England at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot on Sunday, February 18, Jasprit Bumrah was more than happy to sit back and play a supporting role.
The spinners did the bulk of the damage on Day 4. Bumrah did chip in with the wicket of Zak Crawley to add to his scalp of Joe Root in the first innings, but he didn't feature as prominently as he did in the first two Tests in Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam, respectively.
Initial reports suggested that Bumrah might be rested for the fourth Test in Ranchi owing to the short turnaround time of three days, but those plans might have to be shelved after how the third Test unfolded.
Here are three reasons why Jasprit Bumrah shouldn't be rested for the fourth Test against England.
#3 Jasprit Bumrah's workload in the Rajkot Test wasn't too high
India were a bowler short for half of the first innings, with Ravichandran Ashwin flying back to Chennai owing to an unprecedented medical emergency. Despite that, though, Jasprit Bumrah's workload in the Rajkot Test wasn't too high.
Bumrah bowled 15 overs in the first innings, with Mohammed Siraj (21.1 overs) and Kuldeep Yadav (18 overs) doing the heavy lifting in the first session on Day 3. These overs were also split across several spells, meaning that he was kept relatively fresh throughout.
Things got even easier for the ace spearhead in the second essay. Bumrah had to send down only eight overs owing to the spinners doing most of the work, taking his match tally to 23 overs.
Moreover, with the Rajkot Test getting over in just four days, Bumrah will have an extra rest day to go with his fairly light bowling workload. He should be reasonably fresh for the fourth Test.
#2 The Ranchi Test could be the most important one of the series
India have taken a 2-1 lead in the five-match series, and the fourth Test in Ranchi is shaping up to be the most pivotal one.
England are bound to come out firing after losing back-to-back matches, and captain Ben Stokes has assured fans that his team won't back down. And Stokes has generally been able to back up his talk with positive results.
The hosts won't want to turn in a sub-par display in Ranchi to take the series into a decider, and that's just what might happen without Bumrah. Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar, who was released to play in the Ranji Trophy for Bengal, are the two primary pace options. Both don't inspire much confidence, especially for a high-profile game like the fourth Test.
#1 Irrespective of how the 4th Test goes, India will be able to manage Bumrah's workload after it ends
There is another long break of nine days between the fourth and fifth Tests. Consequently, India will be able to ensure that Jasprit Bumrah gets sufficient time off irrespective of how the contest unfolds in Ranchi.
If India manage to win and seal the series, they will be able to release Bumrah from the squad and keep him mentally and physically fresh. If they either lose or draw, there will be enough downtime for the star fast bowler to be fit and ready for the final Test.
There is an ideal way out of both situations concerning Bumrah's workload, and while he needs to be managed extremely carefully, there seems to be enough leeway to warrant him playing in Ranchi.