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Shubman Gill refuses to rule out Jasprit Bumrah for Oval finale, but Arshdeep Singh 'asked to get ready'
Will Jasprit Bumrah play in the fifth Test against England? India captain Shubman Gill kept the suspense alive
India captain Shubman Gill, on Wednesday, refused to rule out pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah for the fifth and final Test match of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series against England. However, he revealed that Arshdeep Singh, who was ruled out of selection for the fourth Test in Manchester, has been asked to get ready for his potential debut at The Oval in London.
Bumrah has been India’s standout bowler in the series, picking up 14 wickets in five innings at an average of 26, including two five-wicket hauls. However, the team management has been carefully managing his workload. So far, the pacer has bowled 119.4 overs in the series — the third-most by an Indian bowler after Mohammed Siraj (139) and Ravindra Jadeja (136.1).
When the Indian squad was announced in May, the selectors made it clear that Bumrah would not feature in more than three Tests during the England tour — a decision made in consultation with the BCCI medical team. The 31-year-old has already fulfilled that condition. After playing the opener in Leeds, he was rested for the second Test before returning at Lord’s. While it was initially expected that he would sit out the fourth Test, injuries to Arshdeep and Akash Deep forced the team to retain him in the XI.
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Bumrah hasn’t bowled since the fourth morning in Manchester and was subsequently given a three-day rest. Now, with the series on the line and India eyeing a 2–2 draw at The Oval, the management may be tempted to revisit their earlier stance.
Asked directly about Bumrah’s availability for the finale, captain Gill offered no confirmation. “We will take a decision tomorrow, the wicket looks very green. So let’s see,” he said at the pre-match press conference, keeping the suspense alive.
'Arshdeep asked to get ready'
Gill further revealed that Arshdeep has been asked to be ready for a potential Test debut in London. The left-arm pacer was unavailable for selection in the fourth Test at Manchester after sustaining a hand injury during training, which required stitches.
The captain also noted that India are comfortable relying on their two spin options — Jadeja and Washington Sundar — in contrast to England, who will go into the final Test without a frontline spinner.
"Arshdeep Singh has been asked to get ready, but we will take a call on the playing XI after looking at the pitch, by this evening. England haven't picked a frontline spinner we have Jadeja and Washi to do the job," Gill added.
India's combination for the fifth Test remains uncertain. The batting line-up will see just one forced change — Dhruv Jurel replacing the injured Rishabh Pant — followed by the all-rounders, Jadeja and Sundar.
The real headache lies in the bowling department. Mohammed Siraj is the only confirmed pick, while Anshul Kamboj, who had an underwhelming debut in Manchester, is likely to be dropped. That leaves Bumrah, Akash, Arshdeep, and Prasidh Krishna competing for the remaining two pace slots.
Another dilemma will be whether to retain Shardul Thakur — who has had a quiet tour so far — bring in an additional fast bowler, or go with an attacking spin option like Kuldeep Yadav.
The fifth and final Test at The Oval begins on Thursday. India have won just two of their 15 Tests at the venue — the first in 1971 and the second in 2021.
