Who should replace Jasprit Bumrah in the Indian XI for the 4th Test?
A few days ago, the Indian team management announced that Jasprit Bumrah won't be part of the squad for the fourth and final Test against England due to personal reasons.
Skipper Virat Kohli mentioned in a recent press conference that there won't be too many changes made to the team that won by 10 wickets in the 3rd Test. But the question of Bumrah's replacement hangs ominously over the Indian team.
Although pitch will certainly have a say in the combination of the playing XI, India are likely to go in with two specialist pacers. While one of the fast bowlers is expected to be 100-Test veteran Ishant Sharma since he barely had any bowling to do in the 3rd Test, either Mohammed Siraj or Umesh Yadav must replace Bumrah.
With wedding bells rumoured to be ringing in the background, we take a look at who could replace Jasprit Bumrah in the Indian playing XI for the 4th Test against England.
The case for Mohammed Siraj to replace Jasprit Bumrah in the Indian XI for the 4th Test
Mohammed Siraj has made an immediate impression in the Test format for India.
Making his debut in the Boxing Day Test against Australia, the pacer returned two crucial wickets in the first innings and followed it up with another three in the second. In the final Test of the series at The Gabba, Siraj scalped his maiden 5-wicket haul for the country.
Even in the ongoing series against England, Siraj sent back Ollie Pope in the 8 overs he bowled in the 2nd Test at Chepauk. Someone who always bowls his heart out whenever called upon, he is a potent threat with the new ball and offers an attacking option early on in the innings.
However, Ishant is a highly experienced campaigner who's bound to take the new ball. The other Indian new-ball bowler is likely to be Axar Patel, who has troubled the English batsmen with his arm ball and skiddy pace. Even Ravichandran Ashwin will be brought into the attack as soon as possible.
As a result, Siraj may not be able to bowl at the stage of the innings where he is most effective.
The case for Umesh Yadav to replace Jasprit Bumrah in the Indian XI for the 4th Test
Umesh Yadav has returned from an injury he suffered during the aforementioned Australia Test series and is fit to take the field at Ahmedabad.
Yadav's form may have fallen off a bit in the Indian Premier League, and he went wicketless in two innings of the two Tests he played in Australia. But he is still one of India's best exponents of reverse swing in Test cricket.
Yadav's figures in his last 4 Tests at home read as follows: 3/37 & 3/22, 3/40 & 2/35, 2/47 & 2/51, 3/29 & 5/53. Often getting the ball to tail back into the right-hander and striking a few lusty blows lower down the order, he has been of incredible value to captain Kohli.
Yadav is capable of bowling at any stage of the innings. In fact, he may even be better with the oldish ball than with the bright red cherry. This gives him a significant advantage over Siraj when it comes to the battle to be Bumrah's replacement.
Yadav might be a bit rusty, but he is certainly one of India's premier Test bowlers. His experience and skill should give him the edge over Siraj for the 4th Test, since India have everything to play for.