Ahead of the fourth and final Test Match at the Narendra Modi stadium against England, Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been released from the squad and will not be available for the red-ball game, which gets underway from March 4.
Bumrah had made a request to the Board of Control for Cricket in India to be released from the squad owing to personal reasons.
The BCCI also informed that there will no replacement named for Bumrah. “Jasprit Bumrah made a request to BCCI to be released from India’s squad ahead of the fourth Test owing to personal reasons. Accordingly, the fast bowler has been released and he will not be available for selection for the fourth Test,” the BCCI said in an official statement on Saturday.
NEWS – Jasprit Bumrah released from India’s squad
Jasprit Bumrah made a request to BCCI to be released from India’s squad ahead of the fourth Test owing to personal reasons.
More details – https://t.co/w2wlfodmq8 #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/mREocEuCGa
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 27, 2021
Mohammed Siraj, who replaced Bumrah in that Test, is one of the frontrunners to reclaim his spot although India also have the luxury of calling back the experienced Umesh Yadav who was passed fit and added to the squad after recovering from a calf injury sustained on the Australia tour.
Also read: Michael Vaughan Calls Ahmedabad Pitch ‘Awful’, Virat Kohli Hits Back At Critics
India’s squad for the 4th Test: Virat Kohli (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), R Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ishant Sharma, Md. Siraj, Umesh Yadav.
England, who are now 2-1 down in the four-match series, are out of the race for a place in the final of the ICC World Test Championship.
England has dropped to 64.1 percentage points on the points table, which is now led by India with 71 percentage points. New Zealand is assured of a place in the final with 70 percentage points.
India needs to either win or draw the last Test to stay ahead of Australia, who are in third place with 69.2 percentage points.