IND vs ENG: Will Bumrah return to India's Playing 11 for Dharamsala Test?

Bumrah who had been on the road since the South Africa tour where he featured in two Tests and then played three Tests at home consecutively, was rested as India led the five-match series 2-1

Jasprit Bumrah, India's leading wicket-taker in the five-match series against England, missed the fourth Test in Ranchi. India still managed to win it by five wickets to take an unassailable 3-1 lead against the visitors. This has reignited the debate on the rotation policy and the need for Bumrah to play the Dharamsala Test.

Will Bumrah find a place in India’s playing 11 in Dharamsala?

With the series already in the bag and the Indian Premier League (IPL) and ICC T20 World Cup 2024 to follow, it would be better that Bumrah is rested for yet another game to give ample time for his body to recover before three months of exhaustive cricket which will follow after the start of the IPL from March 22. This one month of rest will surely keep him fit as India aims to get their first ICC trophy in 11 years.

Why Was Bumnrah rested?

Bumrah, who had been on the road since the South Africa tour, where he featured in two Tests and then played three Tests at home consecutively, was rested for the Ranchi Test as India led the five-match series 2-1. The management decided to rest Bumrah, given he had already bowled 80.2 Overs in the three Test matches he played. 

The workload management of fast bowlers is common in modern-day Test cricket, as not even England plays with Mark Wood or James Anderson consecutively in more than two games. It was exceptional that Anderson featured in the Ranchi Test, too, given that he had already played two Tests in the series.

Will Bumrah be required in Dharamsala?

Located in the hills, Dharamshala's stadium is scenic. Being open from most sides, it has a good breeze blowling across the ground, providing enough opportunity for swing bowlers early on in the day. But Bumrah is not essentially a swing bowler.

The Dharamsala wicket is like any other wicket in the Indian cricket scene. When India hosted Australia during the 2017-18 series in Dharamsala, Kuldeep Yadav emerged as a bowler to watch. Thus, India might not pick Jasprit Bumrah for the fifth and final Test with the series in the kitty.

India Playing 11 for 5th Test vs England: Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Rajat Patidar/Devdutt Padikkal, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep.