Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has been rested from the fourth Test against England and batter KL Rahul ruled out due to injury, the country’s cricket board confirmed on Tuesday.
Bumrah played a key part in India’s last two victories as the hosts took a 2-1 lead in the five-match series, but he has been released from the match in Ranchi, which starts on Friday.
The BCCI said: “The decision was taken keeping in mind the duration of the series and amount of cricket he has played in recent times.”
Rahul played the opener but missed the next two matches due to a quadriceps injury and “his participation in the final Test match in Dharamsala is subject to fitness”.
Medium-pace bowler Mukesh Kumar has joined the team in Ranchi after he was released from the third Test, which the hosts won by 434 runs on Sunday.
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‘DEFINITELY A CHANCE’ STOKES WILL BOWL IN FOURTH TEST
There is “definitely a chance” that England captain Ben Stokes will bowl in the fourth Test against India, deputy Ollie Pope said on Wednesday, in a badly needed boost for the tourists.
England need a win in the Test starting Friday in Ranchi after successive losses put them 2-1 down in the five-match series.
The 32-year-old all-rounder Stokes previously said he would play purely as a batsman in the series because of his knee, but bowled in the nets on Wednesday.
He has struggled with his left knee for some time, stopping him bowling in the last three Ashes Tests in 2023 and the ODI World Cup.
“There’s definitely a chance,” vice-captain Pope said of the probability that Stokes will bowl in the fourth Test.
“He’s not confirmed it even in the changing room so we will see. He bowled at the batters today,” he added.
“See how he pulls up, and if that’s good, hopefully we will see him with the ball in hand in the game.”
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Stokes underwent knee surgery in November and has been working his way back towards full fitness.
“If he’s got full confidence in his knee I guess you’ve got to trust the medical advice and trust his opinions as well,” added Pope.
Stokes is a right-arm fast bowler who completed 100 Tests in England’s 434-run loss to India in the previous match.
He is on 197 wickets, three short of becoming only the third man in five-day cricket with a double of 6000 runs and 200 wickets.
England are expected to rest pace bowlers James Anderson and Mark Wood for the match on a Ranchi pitch expected to help the spinners.
