India's Jasprit Bumrah.
credit: PTI Photo
Rajkot: The rumour mills are rolling once again, saying Jasprit Bumrah is going to be rested for India’s fourth Test against England in Ranchi.
It’s not outside the realm of possibility that the management will play one pacer in Mohammed Siraj and opt for three full-time spinners - R Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel - in addition to Ravindra Jadeja, owing to the Ranchi surface's favourable history with spinners.
Moreover, Bumrah has bowled only 484 balls in the three Tests so far, and the team enjoyed a ten-day break between the second Test in Visakhapatnam and the third Test in Rajkot.
The teams will also have a week-long break before the fourth and the fifth Test in Dharamsala.
Should, however, Bumrah be rested, the team is likely to bring back Mukesh Kumar from Ranji Trophy as a backup. He was released from the third Test so he could play for Bengal.
The team can also utilise the services of Akash Deep, who is in the squad.
Meanwhile, KL Rahul, who sat out the second and third Tests, is likely to be available for selection after recovering from issues with his quadriceps and knees.
Rahul was on course for a return in Rajkot, but the management reckoned it best he gets more time off the field because he was only ’90 per cent fit’.
Skipper Rohit Sharma, after the final press conference in Rajkot, said ‘he seems to be good’ when asked about the Karnataka batter’s fitness.