Kolkata (West Bengal): Workload management for cricketers, fast bowlers in particular, has remained a perennial issue for the selectors and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as well.
The latest is the world's top-rated pacer Jasprit Bumrah. The workload management team of the BCCI has advised the Indian team management to use Bumrah sparingly, considering the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 is to be staged in the West Indies and the United States of America. As a result, the Gujarat pacer is sure to be rested for the last two Tests in Ranchi (February 23-27) and Dharamsala (March 7-11).
"The team management has clearly been told to use Bumrah sparingly so that the bowler doesn't break down midway considering his earlier injuries that forced him out of the field on several occasions," a source in the BCCI told ETV Bharat on the condition of anonymity.
Meanwhile, the final XI for the Ranchi Test commencing this Friday will be finalised after inspecting the wicket. It is learned that if the wicket is a batting track, one of Mukesh Kumar or Akash Deep will play. In case the pitch turns out to be a rank turner, India may play four spinners, which has been a rare case in recent times.
In that case, India may pick Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar. The last time India played a spin quartet in the XI was way back in 2012 against England in Nagpur. In the fourth Test of the series, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Pragyan Ojha, and Piyush Chawla featured in the final XI.
The decision of finalising the first XI at Ranchi lies with the team management comprising head coach Rahul Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma. According to information in the team management, Mohammed Siraj is certain to spearhead the Indian pace attack and he is likely to be assisted by either of the two Bengal quicks — Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep — already picked in the squad.
The toss-up between the two is a good headache as both Akash and Mukesh are in sublime form. Mukesh, who was released from the Rajkot Test squad to play the Ranji Trophy for Bengal, is high on confidence after claiming 10 wickets against Bihar. For Akash Deep, 11 wickets including a couple of four-wicket hauls against England Lions in first-class fixtures put him in good stead for a Test debut in Ranchi.
Meanwhile, the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Mumbai Indians has also been told in as many words reminding the impending T20 World Cup starting June 2 about Bumrah's workload management.
"His IPL franchise has also been informed that the bowler should not be risked ahead of the multi-nation tournament where he could be India's trump card," the source added.
The BCCI in a media statement issued on Tuesday night stated that batter KL Rahul is ruled out of the fourth Test. "His participation in the final Test match in Dharamsala is subject to fitness," BCCI Secretary Jay Shah said in the release.
Rahul was among India's best batters in the opening Test in Hyderabad before going down with the same injury that he suffered during last year's IPL. Rahul had also missed the second and third Test after complaining of pain in his right quadriceps. He was the only centurion for India in the drawn two-match Test series in South Africa in December.
The BCCI also said that pacer Mukesh Kumar, who was released from the squad for the third Test in Rajkot, has joined the squad in Ranchi. Meanwhile, Team India arrived in Ranchi on Tuesday while Bumrah left for his home from Rajkot, which is a four-hour journey by road. Come Friday, it is still not clear whether the Jharkhand State Cricket Association would dish out a rank turner.
Updated Squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (wicket-keeper), KS Bharat (wicket-keeper), Devdutt Padikkal, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep.
