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India captain Shubman Gill said it would be a big deal for the team if pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah manages to play the series-deciding fifth Test despite the team’s original plan to restrict him to three matches.
Bumrah, who suffered a stress reaction earlier in the year, was initially scheduled to feature in only three Tests on the long England tour to manage his workload and prevent further injuries. He missed the second Test at Edgbaston but played in the other three.
With England leading the series 2-1 after a draw in Manchester, India must win at The Oval to level the five-match contest.
“If he feels like he’s fully fit and available for us, I think it would be a great deal for us,” Gill told BBC’s Test Match Special.
“If he’s not playing, I still think we have the right kind of bowling attack,” Gill added.
Bumrah bowled 33 overs in the fourth Test at Old Trafford and has approximately four and a half days to recover for the final match, which begins on July 31. He has bowled 119.4 overs in five innings across three Test matches so far, which is roughly 24 overs per innings.
However, given that he is India’s joint highest wicket-taker in the series with 14 scalps, including two five-wicket hauls from three matches, the team may be tempted to bring him back for the finale.
Former England captain Alastair Cook believes Gill made the right tactical decision by not revealing whether Bumrah would play the fifth and final Test of the series.
“Even if he isn’t going to play, you wouldn’t tell people now, just on a purely tactical basis,” Cook said.
“They made a mistake at the beginning of the series, saying he could only play three, because you get thrown into a situation like now where the series is still on the line. If he’s not fit to play, not playing is the right decision,” he added.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir confirmed that all fast bowlers are available for selection ahead of the Oval Test and didn’t rule out Bumrah featuring in a fourth match. “All the fast bowlers are there. There is no injury scare,” Gambhir asserted on Sunday.
“We haven’t had any conversation around the combination for the last Test. “No decision has been made on whether Jasprit Bumrah will play or not. Ultimately, whoever plays, they will try and do the job for the country,” he added.
After the Lord’s Test, India suffered a spate of setbacks, with Arshdeep Singh nursing a blow to his bowling hand, Akash Deep ruled out with a groin issue, and Mohammed Siraj battling general fatigue. All-rounder Nitesh Kumar Reddy was also ruled out of the series.
As a result, India had to fly in reinforcements from home. Anshul Kamboj joined the squad and was preferred over Prasidh Krishna in the playing XI.
