India captain Shubman Gill remained non-committal about Jasprit Bumrah’s inclusion for the decisive fifth and final Test against England, set to begin on July 31 at The Oval. With the series delicately poised, Gill said that a final decision regarding Bumrah’s participation would be taken after assessing pitch conditions and player fitness on the eve of the match.
Bumrah has been a key figure in India’s bowling attack throughout the series, sending down 119.4 overs, third-most among Indian bowlers, behind Mohammed Siraj (139) and Ravindra Jadeja (136.1). Given the workload, team management may opt to rest him as a precaution to avoid overexertion, especially with future fixtures in mind.
“We will take a decision tomorrow, the wicket looks very green. So let’s see,” Gill said during the pre-match press conference on Tuesday.
In Bumrah’s potential absence, left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh is in line to make his Test debut. Gill confirmed that Arshdeep has been asked to be on standby and is being seriously considered for inclusion in the playing XI. “Arshdeep Singh has been asked to get ready, but we will take a call on the playing XI after looking at the pitch, by this evening,” the Indian skipper added.
Gill also touched upon England’s tactical choice to go without a specialist spinner for the final Test. In contrast, India are likely to bank on Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar to shoulder the spin duties. “England haven’t picked a frontline spinner we have Jadeja and Washi to do the job,” Gill noted confidently.
The fifth Test is crucial, with England holding a slender 2-1 lead in the series. A win for the hosts would mark their first Test series triumph over India since 2018. For India, the goal is clear, win at The Oval and level the series 2-2, a result that would be celebrated as a significant achievement on English soil.
Gill himself has been in imperious form with the bat, emerging as the highest run-scorer in the series with 722 runs. On the bowling front, Bumrah and Siraj lead with 14 wickets apiece, while Jadeja continues to play a pivotal all-round role, contributing consistently with both bat and ball.
