ENG vs IND: "He is a valuable asset"- Ravichandran Ashwin backs Jasprit Bumrah's decision to prioritise his body and not play The Oval test

Ravichandran Ashwin said that Jasprit Bumrah took the right decision by not playing in The Oval test.

Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has backed Jasprit Bumrah’s decision to not play the fifth test against England at The Oval, London.

India made four changes to their playing XI for The Oval test. While Rishabh Pant was ruled out of the match due to injury, Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, and Anshul Kamboj made way for Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, and Karun Nair.

Ahead of India’s tour of England 2025, selectors and head coach Gautam Gambhir had informed that Bumrah will only play three games out of five matches in the series to manage his workload and avoid any injuries. The senior Indian pacer was part of the first, third, and fourth tests.

Very happy that Jasprit Bumrah is prioritising his body: Ravichandran Ashwin

While speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said that Bumrah took the right decision by not playing in the fifth test. He is also happy that the pacer is prioritising his body.

“I am pleasantly surprised because if this were the Indian team of the past, they would have persuaded Bumrah to play the final Test. Even now, the team management might have looked at it, but from Bumrah’s perspective, this is a sound decision. He had already decided that he was going to play only three Tests, and he stuck to that,” Ashwin said.

“His back issue is not a normal one. It has kept him out of the game for almost two years. He is a valuable asset to the Indian team. So, the decision is the right one, and I am pleasantly surprised. I am very happy that Bumrah is prioritising his body because in the long run, he will be very useful,” he added.

Ashwin also backed India’s decision of not picking Kuldeep Yadav in The Oval test. According to him, fast bowlers will be more useful in these conditions.

“There is no need to add pressure on Kuldeep’s shoulder. People should understand that Kuldeep is going to play the role of the fourth seamer. He is not going to be your strike bowler. In these conditions, the fast bowlers will be your strike bowlers,” he said.

Notably, ahead of The Oval test, there were some talks about Bumrah’s addition to the playing XI. With 14 wickets in three games at an average of 26.0, the senior Indian pacer has shown a wonderful form in the series. India trail 1-2 in the series and need to win the final game to end the series in a draw.

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