India are hit by a big blow ahead of the South Africa Tests as Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out series due to minor stress fracture in his lower back. He has been replaced by Umesh Yadav, who last played against Australia.
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In its release, BCCI mentioned that the injury to Bumrah was detected during radiological screening and he will now undergo rehabilitation at NCA. This has further delayed Bumrah’s home Test debut.
The Indian team management has been managing Bumrah’s workload of late. After World Cup 2019, he was rested for the limited-overs series against West Indies. He returned to play two Tests, where he scalped 13 wickets. Bumrah was again rested for South Africa T20Is and was due to make his comeback for the Test series.
Yadav, Bumrah’s replacement, hasn’t been a regular part of playing XI. He was a part of the West Indies Test series but did not get a chance in presence of Ishant Sharma, Bumrah and Mohammed Shami.
Since the squad for the home series was trimmed, His previous Test had come on the tour of Australia, where he played in Perth scalping two wickets.
Though Umesh’s numbers in the home series against West Indies were good. His 10-fer in the second Test was only third by an Indian pacer in the home conditions.
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Ishant will be leading the pace attack against South Africa with Shami as the second pacer. Since India are expected to go in with all the three spinners, Umesh might find it difficult to break into playing XI.
The three-match Test series kicks off on October 2 with the first Test to be played in Vizag. Pune and Ranchi will host the second and the third Test from October 10 and 19, respectively.
Ahead of the Test series, the two teams played a three-match T20I series. The first game was a washed-out affair. India won the second T20I with ease while Quinton de Kock led South Africa to a series-levelling win in the third T20I played in Bangalore.
India’s updates Test squad: Virat Kohli (Captain), Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wk), Wriddhiman Saha (Wicket-keeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav.