India have received a huge boost ahead of the crucial third England vs India Test as their star pacer Jasprit Bumrah has regained full fitness.
Bumrah has not played since fracturing his thumb during the first T20 international against Ireland. He had later undergone surgery in Leeds, and was selected in the Test squad with the hope that he would recover in time for Lord’s. Subsequently, Shardul Thakur was named as his replacement for the limited overs matches.
The BCCI while naming the squad for the first three Test had said: “Jasprit Bumrah who has been included in the squad, will be available for selection from the 2nd Test onwards based on his fitness.”
However, Burmah failed to recover in time. But the Indian bowling attack though did fairly well without the speedster in the first Test as they managed to take all 20 English wickets. However, they struggled in the second, picking up only 7 wickets as England thrashed India by an innings and 159 runs to go 2-0 up in the series.
The bowling attack, nonetheless, looks set to be bolstered as Bumrah is all set to take the field. Journalist Boria Majumdar revealed the news on Twitter, writing:
Jasprit Bumrah is fully fit and is ready to play the next test.
That’s today’s update. He will be very useful in Trentbridge. @vikrantgupta73 @DeepDasgupta7 @cricketaakash— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) August 13, 2018
Meanwhile, India would be keen to bounce back in the third Test, starting this Saturday at Trent Bridge. England had thoroughly outplayed the visitors in the second Test at Lord’s.
Batsmen faring poorly in swinging conditions was once again the biggest reason behind another loss in an overseas Test. That the game ended inside four days despite the first day being entirely washed out and several rain-interruptions pretty much tells how poor the Indian batting was.
In the first innings, they were all out for just 107 with James Anderson taking 5 for 20. In reply, England scored a mammoth 396 for 7 to put the game beyond India’s reach. And the visitors did little to challenge England.
Trailing by a huge 289 runs, draw was the only option for India. However, it took England less than two sessions to bundle up the world number one Test side. India never looked in contention to save the game and were all out for just 130.
Bumrah is likely to make it to the playing eleven for the upcoming eleven. The right-arm pacer had made his Test debut during the South Africa tour earlier this year and had impressed immediately. He was the second-highest wicket-taker for India in the series, picking up 14 in three games including a 5-wicket haul.