Former England spinner Monty Panesar believes the world’s best, Jasprit Bumrah, “has to play” the next Test against his former side in Manchester, considering it is a "must-win" contest for India.
Panesar also expressed surprise over uncapped pacer Arshdeep Singh’s absence from the ongoing tour and feels his inclusion could offer India better attacking options.
During the announcement of India’s squad for the Test tour of England, chief selector Ajit Agarkar confirmed that Bumrah was advised not to play consecutive Tests as part of his workload management. The caution around Bumrah’s usage stems from a stress reaction in his back sustained during the fifth Test against Australia in Sydney in January.
Bumrah featured in the first and third Tests, dazzling spectators with his threatening spells, but India lost both matches. With two Tests left, India trailing the five-match series 1-2, and Bumrah available for only one of them, Panesar feels India needs to go all out in Manchester next week.
“Jasprit Bumrah should play the next match. It is a must-win match for India. They need to play their best attack. Bumrah has to play the next Test. It is the pitch with the most pace and bounce in the country, so he has to play,” Panesar told ANI.
In the series opener at Headingley, Bumrah was the driving force in India’s otherwise ineffective bowling unit, returning impressive figures of 5/83 in the first innings. However, during India’s defence of 371, he went wicketless as England chased down the target with five wickets to spare.
In the third Test at Lord’s, the 31-year-old rattled England’s batting unit, claiming a record-shattering five-wicket haul. In the second innings, he picked up two more wickets and finished with match figures of 7/112 as India suffered a narrow 22-run defeat.
India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate hinted at Bumrah’s potential involvement in Manchester after Thursday’s training session. He said, “We’ll make that call (on Bumrah) in Manchester. We know we have got him for one of the last two Tests. It’s pretty obvious that the series is on the line now in Manchester, so there will be a leaning towards playing him.
“But again, we have to look at all the factors: how many days of cricket we expect to get there, what we feel gives us our best chance of winning that game, and how that fits in with The Oval. We’re looking at the last two games holistically as part of the series.”
Panesar also addressed the absence of Arshdeep Singh from the first three Tests. The uncapped left-arm seamer was backed by many to earn a debut in the XI, particularly given his experience in the County Championship. However, he is yet to receive his maiden cap, a decision that left Panesar surprised.
“Arshdeep Singh needs to play. I’m surprised he didn’t play the first Test match. He can bowl good angles, and a left-arm seamer is a really good option. He should be very effective in these English conditions,” he said.
As of now, it is uncertain whether Arshdeep will be fit for Manchester. During India’s training session, he sustained a hand injury while bowling. Doeschate provided an update: “He took a ball on the side of his hand while bowling. It’s just a cut, so we have to see how bad it is. The medical team is taking him to see a doctor, and if he needs stitches, that’s going to be important to our planning for the next few days.”
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