Jasprit Bumrah has made a request to the BCCI to be released from India’s squad ahead of the fourth Test owing to personal reasons. Accordingly, the fast bowler has been released and he will not be available for selection for the fourth Test, but the board haven’t named any replacement.
After a wait of three years, Jasprit Bumrah, who had made his Test debut way back in January 2018, made his home Test debut in Chennai during the opening encounter. He was rested for the second Test owing to the workload management, and even though he played in Ahmedabad pink-ball Test, he bowled six overs in the first innings and didn’t bowl at all in the second innings.
However, with almost a week to go for the fourth and final Test of the series, Bumrah requested the BCCI to release him from the squad for personal reasons and accordingly, he will not be available for the fourth Test in front of his home audience.
“Jasprit Bumrah made a request to BCCI to be released from India’s squad ahead of the fourth Test owing to personal reasons. Accordingly, the fast bowler has been released and he will not be available for selection for the fourth Test. There will be no addition to India’s squad for the final Test,” BCCI Secretary Jay Shah said in a statement.
With Umesh Yadav already back in the squad, the Indian team management have as many as three pacers – Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, and Yadav – to choose from for the final Test. The squad also has the likes of Sandeep Warrier, Ankit Rajpoot, and Saurabh Kumar as net bowlers for the worst-case scenario. Earlier, Shardul Thakur was released from the squad to partake in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
The fourth Test of the series will be played from March 4, with the T20I series slated to begin on March 12.
