&w=3840&q=100)
Bumrah's presence in fifth Test would be a 'huge boost,' says Gill
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 (with Mohd Siraj), 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.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
33 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Siraj used the scrambled seam nicely throughout, says Boult
Mumbai: There is a much watched video of Trent Boult being tutored by Zaheer Khan on bowling with a scrambled seam in a Mumbai Indians net session from IPL 2021. Boult had begun his career in 2011 as an out and out swing bowler for New Zealand. Not to remain predictable, he learnt the nuances of bringing in the element of natural variation off the surface that comes from holding the seam of the ball with a slight tilt. India bowler Mohammed Siraj. (Reuters) It's a ball that has become increasingly common in the modern game. More so in Test cricket as bowlers look to weaponise the seam for a slightly different effect. 'The batter is looking for in-swing, in-swing and there goes the scrambled seam,' Zaheer told Boult in the video. It was a ball used liberally by Mohammed Siraj in the recent India-England series. While Siraj running in to bowl lengthy spells was a testament to his stamina, he couldn't have done it without his bouquet of skills. In the Oval Test, the hero of the five-Test rubber swung it one way, wobbled it the other. So much so that Ollie Pope could never decipher the questions Siraj posed constantly. Even England's highest run getter Joe Root was troubled. 'It's a big ball that players are trying to learn,' Boult told HT in a virtual interaction. 'For a lot of bowlers, scrambled seam has become an effective tool. I thought Siraj used it very nicely throughout that series.' Boult couldn't catch much of the thrill from the final day's play at the Oval. He was 'in the air' for most of it, travelling to England to play in 'The Hundred' to be aired on Sony network. Now, plying his trade in short-format leagues around the world, Boult's heart still beats for Test cricket. 'The series was fantastic. A lot of people got behind it,' he said. 'New Zealand is not a great place to watch Test cricket in England. It's on through the night. The only Test I could really watch was the Lord's Test and it was brilliant. Test cricket is a great product followed around the world and when it is an even battle between bat and ball, it's brilliant.' Having had a 12-year long fulfilling international career — he picked up 317 wickets in 78 Tests — Boult is at peace, getting to spend more time with his three sons. 'You still possess that mindset of trying to develop new skills,' he said, ahead of another debut to a new format for the Birmingham Phoenix at the age of 36. 'To stay up to date with the skills is a good aspiration to have. T20 is a format that is quickly evolving. The Hundred is slightly different and a new challenge. It's about not getting too complacent.'
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
33 minutes ago
- First Post
'Poora Khol Diye Pasha!': Owaisi praises Siraj's stellar bowling show at The Oval in Hyderabadi slang
Mohammed Siraj's exceptional performance has impressed Member of Pariliament Asaduddin Owaisi. As Siraj and Owaisi both belong from Hyderabad, the latter hailed him in a Hyderabadi way. read more As the chips were down and yet another hard-to-take defeat was hovering over Team India, Mohammed Siraj stood tall and conquered the most crucial phase of the fifth Test. The pacer delivered a spectacular spell on the morning of the fifth day and snatched the victory for his team from the jaws of defeat. On the back of a fifer in the second innings, and a four-wicket haul in the first, Siraj was adjudged the player of the match award at The Oval. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Having won India the Oval Test by six runs, Siraj's name has become a whirlwind on social media, where, along with the members of the cricket community, even the top individuals of Indian politics have come out to acknowledge his effort. Siraj's performance made Congress leader Shashi Tharoor apologise for doubting the ability of the new-age side. Tharoor urged Virat Kohli to come back from retirement at one stage in the series when India's backs were against the wall. Owaisi congratulates Siraj in special Hyderabadi way Asaduddin Owaisi, another prominent politician, was also impressed with the sheer brilliance of Siraj and congratulated him in a typical Hyderabadi style. He shared a GIF of Siraj celebrating a wicket and wrote: 'Always a winner @mdsirajofficial! As we say in Hyderabadi, poora khol diye Pasha!' Noting the post made by Owasi, Siraj reverted with a, 'Thank you so much sir always cheering for me." Thank you so much sir ❤️🙏🏽 always cheering for me. — Mohammed Siraj (@mdsirajofficial) August 6, 2025 Siraj, who has often remained in the shadows of Jasprit Bumrah, rose to the occasion to rescue India more than once in the recently concluded series against England. While the aspect of workload management often goes hand in hand with Bumrah, Siraj does not carry any concern of the sort. Regardless of the conditions, he kept bowling and bowling and eventually finished the affair as the leading wicket-taker. With 23 wickets in five games, Siraj has delivered a huge statement that he can no longer be looked down upon as a second fiddle in the bowling lineup and is ready to shoulder the responsibility of team India alongside Bumrah.
NDTV
33 minutes ago
- NDTV
Shubman Gill Gets Clear Verdict After England Tests Exploits: "Almost Lazy In..."
Former England spinner Monty Panesar has backed India Test captain Shubman Gill to elevate his game to the next level in the next couple of years, following a breakthrough tour with the bat in a recently-concluded series. In his first assignment as India captain, Gill quashed doubts over his technique and temperament, as he emerged as the leading run-scorer in the five-match series against England with 754 runs. Panesar highlighted some major changes in Gill's batting technique, especially his improved footwork. "Shubman Gill rose to the challenge. I always thought that he was almost lazy in his footwork when he wasn't the captain, and now, he's phenomenal. And I think we're going to hopefully see the best of them in the next couple of years," Panesar told Hindustan Times. In England, Gill smashed four centuries, including a double ton at 75.40 to break legendary Sunil Gavaskar 's record (732) for the highest run tally for an Indian captain in a five-Test series. Gill's returns were the second-best behind Sir Donald Bradman (810 runs) in the all-time list for captains. He was voted as India's 'Player of the Series' and was also nominated by the ICC for their 'Player of the Month' award. "Shubman Gill had a sensational month, amassing 567 runs at an impeccable average of 94.50 in three Tests during India's gripping series in England," the ICC wrote on its website. "He played a starring role in India's record-breaking win at Edgbaston, where he scored a monumental 269 in the first innings followed by 161 in the second. His combined 430 runs across the two innings is the second highest tally, next only to Graham Gooch's 456," it added. The ICC said Gill carried the baton from "all-time great" Virat Kohli at No.4. "His consistency at No. 4, carrying on the baton from all-time great Virat Kohli, provided stability and flair in equal measure, and combined with his extraordinary captaincy in his debut series," it said.
