India's push to level the five-match Test series against England at The Oval will happen without their star pacer. Jasprit Bumrah has been officially ruled out of the fifth and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, set to begin on Thursday.
ESPNcricinfo has reported that the decision was taken on the advice of the BCCI medical team, which has recommended resting Bumrah to protect his long-term fitness - particularly his back. While India trail 2-1 and would have hoped to play their strongest XI, this call is not entirely unexpected.
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The team management, selectors, and Bumrah had already planned to keep his workload light for the England tour. But with the series on the line, it was tempting to play him again.
In the end, they chose caution by sticking to the original plan: for Bumrah to play only three out of the five scheduled matches.
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3 reasons why Jasprit Bumrah is set to miss the series decider
1. Planned to play only three Tests
Before the series even began, it was decided that Bumrah would feature in just three of the five Tests. This was part of a long-term workload management plan involving the BCCI medical staff, selectors and team management.
Bumrah played at Headingley, Lord's and Old Trafford, sitting out only at Edgbaston. The original plan is now being followed.
2. Bumrah had a noticeable drop in pace
Bumrah's pace has gradually dipped over the course of the series - one of the clearest signs of mounting fatigue. At Headingley, 42.7% of his deliveries were over 140 kmph.
At Lord's, that figure dropped to 19.3% and by the fourth Test in Manchester, it had plummeted to just 0.5%. The wear and tear showed in his workload too.
At Old Trafford, Bumrah bowled 33 overs - his highest in the series and conceded 112 runs. With a heavy ball load and a visible drop in intensity, resting him became the sensible call.
3. Medical advice after back and ankle strain
Although Bumrah returned to bowl in the final session of Day 3 at Old Trafford, he had limped off earlier in the day after an ankle issue. The BCCI medical team has advised against risking further stress on his back and knee. The decision was made with his long-term fitness in mind.
Who will replace Jasprit Bumrah in the 5th Test against England?
Akash Deep is likely to return to the playing XI. He impressed at Edgbaston with a ten-wicket haul but missed the fourth Test due to a groin niggle.
Now fully fit, he looked good in training on Tuesday. Mohammed Siraj will continue to lead the pace attack while Arshdeep Singh could also come into the mix.