Jasprit Bumrah, India’s premier fast bowler, is likely to be ruled out of the World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand due to an injury. The news has come as a major blow to the Indian team, which was hoping to win the WTC title for the first time.
Bumrah, who has been a key member of the Indian team in recent years, suffered an abdominal strain during the fourth Test against England in Ahmedabad. He was subsequently ruled out of the fifth Test and the subsequent limited-overs series against England.
The injury has now put his participation in the WTC final in doubt. The final is scheduled to be held in Southampton from June 18 to 22. The Indian team is currently in the UK for the limited-overs series against England.
The Indian team management is yet to make an official announcement on Bumrah’s availability for the WTC final. However, sources close to the team have indicated that the pacer is unlikely to be fit in time for the match.
If Bumrah is ruled out, it will be a major setback for the Indian team. The pacer has been in excellent form in recent times and has been a key member of the team’s bowling attack. He has taken 87 wickets in the WTC so far and is the leading wicket-taker for India in the tournament.
The Indian team will now have to find a suitable replacement for Bumrah. The team has a few options in the form of Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav and Navdeep Saini. However, none of these bowlers can match Bumrah’s ability and experience.
The Indian team will also have to make a few changes to its batting line-up if Bumrah is ruled out. The team is likely to bring in an extra batsman in place of the pacer. This could mean that the team will have to drop one of its regular batsmen, such as Shubman Gill or Rishabh Pant.
The Indian team will be hoping that Bumrah recovers in time for the WTC final. However, if he is ruled out, the team will have to find a suitable replacement and make some changes to its batting line-up. It remains to be seen how the team responds to this major setback.
