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With England 2-1 up, India are leaning towards picking Jasprit Bumrah for the fourth Test at Old Trafford, starting 23 July, though a final call will come on the eve of the match.
“No, we’ll make that call [on Bumrah] in Manchester still,” assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said after a one-off training session in Beckenham. “We know we have got him for one of the last two Tests. It’s pretty obvious that the series on the line now in Manchester so there will be a leaning towards playing him.”
The management have already agreed with the fast bowler and medical staff that he will play only three of the five Tests in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, a precaution after back surgery in March. Bumrah missed the Edgbaston Test despite an eight-day gap after Headingley, a decision that drew pointed criticism. Ravi Shastri told Sky Cricket that “the decision should be taken out of the player’s hands with the team management taking the final call.”
Bumrah has so far taken 12 wickets at 21.00, including two five-fors—one at Headingley, another in the first innings at Lord’s, where England squeezed home late on the final day. Old Trafford, traditionally quicker and offering bounce, would appear tailor-made for him, but India must weigh that temptation against the equally decisive final Test at The Oval.
Ten Doeschate stressed that broader considerations remain. “We’ve got to look at all the factors: how many days of cricket are we going to get up there, what do we feel is our best chance of winning that game, and then how that fits in together with The Oval. Looking at the last two games holistically as part of the series.”
The wider pace attack is also nudging its limits. Mohammed Siraj leads the series charts with 13 wickets at 32.00 and has already bowled 109 overs—the fourth-heaviest workload in a summer dominated by long spells. Akash Deep, who debuted at Lord’s, shoulders his share too, but India recognise that fatigue for either spearhead would hit hard.
Tuesday’s training therefore focused on recovery. Bumrah, Siraj and Akash Deep skipped bowling workloads, sticking to light conditioning. Siraj did bat briefly, showing little sign of the frustration that ended the Lord’s chase when Shoaib Bashir’s delivery dribbled back onto his stumps off the middle of the bat.
Rishabh Pant, still nursing the bruised left index finger suffered while diving for a chance on day two at Lord’s, also limited himself to gentle drills. The medical team remain optimistic he will keep wicket in Manchester, but the final check-up comes Friday.
Away from the limelight, the support staff are poring over weather charts—showers are forecast for the first two days in Manchester—while analysts crunch numbers on match-ups. A green-tinged surface might strengthen the argument for unleashing Bumrah’s pace and seam movement early, rather than saving him for The Oval, where the pitch can flatten out.
Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar, speaking on day two at Lord’s, felt the fast bowler’s success stemmed from patience. “Bumrah did the hard work, played the waiting game,” he noted. The message from the camp echoes that approach: manage workloads, wait for the right moment, strike hard.
Whether that moment is Old Trafford or The Oval will be confirmed soon, but ten Doeschate’s words left little doubt about which way the wind is blowing. As he put it, “the series on the line now in Manchester.” Bumrah looks increasingly likely to climb the steps at Old Trafford, new ball in hand, with India’s hopes riding on his repaired back and relentless accuracy.
