Team India’s assistant coach, Ryan ten Doeschate, has given an important update about star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah and whether he will play in the 4th Test match against England, which starts on July 23 at Old Trafford in Manchester.
Before the series began, chief selector Ajit Agarkar had said that Bumrah would play only three Test matches to manage his workload. Bumrah was rested for the previous Test at Edgbaston, which India won.
When asked if Bumrah will return for the 4th Test, ten Doeschate said,
“We’ll decide in Manchester. We have him available for one of the last two Tests. Since the series is on the line, we’re leaning toward playing him in Manchester.”
However, he also said the final decision would depend on a few factors like:
- How much cricket is expected to be played due to weather,
- What gives India the best chance to win,
- And how it fits into the bigger plan for the Oval Test (5th Test).
Is Workload Management Necessary?
Ten Doeschate praised England captain Ben Stokes for bowling 18 overs on the final day of the last match, helping England win by 22 runs at Lord’s.
He said it was impressive, but added, “We’re not here to compare our bowlers to others.”
He defended the decision to rest Bumrah, saying:
- “Jasprit performs best in short spells, and we plan accordingly.”
- He gave the example of Mohammed Siraj, who builds up his rhythm over many overs, saying, “Not all bowlers are the same. We work with what suits each player best, and we always discuss it with Jasprit before making a decision.”
