Jasprit Bumrah will return for the Dharamsala Test as India’s designated vice-captain. The BCCI confirmed this on Thursday and named a 16-man squad for the final Test of the England series starting on March 7. While KL Rahul was ruled out, all-rounder Washington Sundar was not part of the 16, released from the squad. to join his state side, Tamil Nadu, who will play in Mumbai from March 2-6 for a place in the Ranji Trophy final. Washington, if required, “will join the Indian team after the completion of the home match for the fifth Test,” the BCCI said in a statement.
Bumrah was dropped from the squad for the fourth Test against England in Ranchi to rest. India won the Test, sealing the series with England 3–1 to one match. Despite missing this match, Bumrah is India’s joint-highest wicket-taker in the series, with 17 wickets at 13.64 from the first three matches. Even though the series is already decided, India and England still have points to play for in the World Test Championship in Dharamsala.
India are currently second in this points table and England are as low as eighth. The BCCI also confirmed that Rahul is still unavailable as he consults doctors in London with a quadriceps injury that ruled him out of the second, third and fourth Tests of the series. “The BCCI medical team is monitoring him closely and is coordinating with specialists in London to further address his problem,” the statement said.
If Rahul is forced to miss the first few games of the IPL, which begins on March 22, his Lucknow Super Giants franchise will be led by vice-captain Nicholas Pooran. On Mohammed Shami, who had surgery on his right Achilles tendon earlier this week, BCCI said: “He is recovering well and will soon head to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru to begin his rehabilitation process.”
