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Shubman Gill, Gautam Gambhir not pre-decided Jasprit Bumrah’s matches vs West Indies, unlike ENG tour: 'We're going to…'
Shubman Gill explained that Jasprit Bumrah’s participation in the upcoming West Indies Tests will be decided match by match.
Skipper Shubman Gill has stated that the team management has not pre-decided whether Jasprit Bumrah will play both Tests against West Indies. This suggests that the approach to managing his workload has changed since the England tour. A couple of months back, when India announced the squad for the England Tests, head coach Gautam Gambhir and skipper Shubman announced that Bumrah would play only three Tests on that tour. The management and the pacer got the backlash after he missed the fifth Test on the tour with the series on the line due to workload management.
Gill explained that Bumrah’s participation in the upcoming West Indies Tests will be decided match by match. The captain emphasised that no decisions are pre-set, and the team will assess the fast bowlers’ workload and fitness after each game before finalising the playing XI.
"We're going to take a call on a match-to-match basis depending on how long a Test match goes on and how many overs our fast bowlers bowl. Nothing is pre-decided. We're going to take the call once the Test match is over, and how our fast bowlers feel and how their bodies feel after the match," Shubman Gill told the media.
Meanwhile, Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav spent an extended session bowling on a practice pitch next to the main green-top track, where India and West Indies are set to begin the first Test at Narendra Modi Stadium on Thursday.
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India not decided team combination for first Test vs WI
Gill said the team might be tempted to field a third seamer in the series opener with the venue sporting a green-top surface amid hot and humid conditions. India played with two pacers at home conditions in the recent times but Gill suggested things might change in the first Test in Ahmedabad.
"I can't really speak about what were the conversations before I came (in as captain), but yes we would be looking to play on wickets that offer (help) to both the batsmen and to the bowlers," Gill said.
"But having said that, I think any challenge for any team that comes to India, they know that the challenge is going to be spin and reverse swing. Keeping these challenges in mind, we would be looking to play on wickets that offer both to the batsmen and to the bowlers. You will get to know the combination tomorrow (Thursday). Given how the weather and conditions are, we are tempted to have a third seaming option but we will take a call tomorrow," he added.
