BCCI identifies Jasprit Bumrah's backup for AFG vs IND T20Is; Know here
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Jasprit Bumrah has also been named in India’s Asian Games squad.
Indian team management have taken a cautious approach as they are set to take on Afghanistan in a three-match T20I series. Several players who have been named in the national squad are subject to fitness clearance, and they are continuously monitoring such players to ensure match readiness.
With several key players returning from injury, the selectors are now balancing immediate requirements with long-term demand. The upcoming Afghanistan series is a test for many players returning from injury. Among them, Jasprit Bumrah remains the biggest concern given his importance within the Indian pace attack across all formats.
Prince Yadav emerges as Jasprit Bumrah’s backup for Afghanistan T20Is
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According to the Times of India report, Bumrah, along with Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar and Harshit Rana, are likely to undergo match simulation tests at the BCCI Centre of Excellence. The players have been declared fit by the medical team, but the BCCI needs to witness their match readiness on the field before giving the green light.
The Indian players are reportedly going to assemble in the capital city on the 9th of September, and hence, the BCCI have scheduled the simulation matches between September 4th and 9th. These players were named in the squad but were subject to fitness clearance.
The BCCI will hence need to prepare alternative options if these players fail to pass through the simulations. Prince Yadav’s name has surfaced in contention for a potential backup spot for Jasprit Bumrah. According to TOI reports, Prince, who made his debut against Afghanistan earlier this year, has recovered from his hamstring injury and is available for selection.
Prince’s case has been strengthened by his phenomenal record with the white ball since this year’s IPL. Putting on a spectacular show for the Lucknow Super Giants, Prince made an impact after being introduced into the national setup.
Jasprit Bumrah needs to play a first-class fixture before NZ Tests
While Indian selectors and the current head coach have been very clear about the need for international players to feature in regular domestic cricket, players like Jasprit Bumrah were spared due to concerns surrounding their workload.
According to the Times of India, the selectors now want the premier fast bowler to play at least one first-class game before India heads to New Zealand for the two-match Test series. The main idea behind this assessment is to determine whether his knee can withstand the workload and pressure of a five-day-long Test fixture.
Bumrah played his last Test match against South Africa in Guwahati, and since then his workload has involved limited-overs cricket. He missed the Sri Lanka Test series due to the impending knee issue.
For Bumrah’s one first-class game, reports indicated that it could either be a domestic Ranji Trophy game or an India A fixture in New Zealand. However, the India A fixtures clash with the ODI series between India and New Zealand, which makes it a stressful call.
“As it is, he has to skip Test matches because of his fitness. One has to be clear that his knee can take the load of a first-class game before he takes the field in a Test in New Zealand. It needs to be seen if he plays a Ranji Trophy game or a first-class game for India ‘A’ in New Zealand. He is likely to be rested for the T20I series against West Indies at home in October. But the ‘A’ games in New Zealand overlap with the ODI series there,” a source said to TOI.
When was the last time Jasprit Bumrah played a domestic First-class match?
Jasprit Bumrah last played a domestic first-class match in January 2017 during the Ranji Trophy semi-final.
Will Jasprit Bumrah play in the Afghanistan T20I series?
Jasprit Bumrah is named in India’s squad for the T20I series against Afghanistan, but his participation is subject to passing a fitness clearance test.
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