India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir spoke on Jasprit Bumrah playing in the fifth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England starting from July 31 at the Oval.
Gautam Gambhir has confirmed India have a whole quota of fit fast bowlers to select from for The Oval Test, which they need to win to level the series. Equally significantly, Gambhir didn’t rule out the possibility of Jasprit Bumrah playing a fourth Test after he had said he was good to play only three in the lead-up to the series. “There has been no discussion about anyone and no decision has been made whether Jasprit Bumrah will play in the last test match or not. Ultimately, whoever plays, whether they play or not, they will try and do the job for the country,” Gambhir told media. Bumrah has been the best bowler for the Indian team in the ongoing series, having grabbed 14 wickets with two fifers at an average of 26.00 and an economy rate of 3.04.
He also said, “All fast bowlers are fit, there is no injury.” Gambhir emphasized his focus on results, acknowledging India’s 2-1 deficit in the series. Despite the team’s inexperience, he considers it the best Indian team currently and aims to level the series to 2-2. “You’re asking someone who only believes in results. And I’ve always said that in the past as well. I believe in results. We’re still 2-1 down in the series. This is an Indian team. Yes, there is an inexperience, but this is still the best Indian team right now. So for me, I think we’re still down 2-1, and hopefully we can try and make it 2-2. It would be a great achievement,” he added.
Gambhir said this India team was an inexperienced side and the results needed to be seen in that light. But he also said that reason doesn’t change the scoreline of the series. He also didn’t want to get carried away with the achievement of drawing at Old Trafford.
“When you are put under pressure, and you end up batting five sessions, I think that’s great character. Anything that you do in these conditions, when you are put under pressure and you come out of those pressure moments, it is always a great feeling, and it just ends up giving a lot of confidence in the dressing room as well.
“And I’m sure going into The Oval, we will be high on confidence, but we can’t take anything for granted. I think it’s going to be a new game, it’s going to be against a strong England side, and we absolutely will be up for it.”
It will be interesting to see if India risk Bumrah. His speed, after all, had come down significantly on the third evening of the third Test, where he returned figures of 2/112, his poorest show in his seven-year-long Test career.
India’s only win has come when Bumrah opted to sit out of the second Test at Edgbaston. It’s not that the Indian bowling can’t hold its own without him.
