Tough test for India in Brisbane as Bumrah ruled out of the playing XI

Last updated on January 19th, 2021 at 07:09 am

Bumrah ruled out: Ahead of the Brisbane test, many Indian players have sustained injuries and the team is not as fit as it was when it arrived in Australia in December last year. India’s ace bowler Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the fourth test with Australia owing to an abdominal strain. 

The management of the Indian side has decided to rest Bumrah to give him time to heal as the team will have to face English challenge next month. The next test match against england is crucial as a lot of Indian players are injured and all-rounder Ravinder Jadeja is also likely to miss the test due to his surgery for his dislocated left thumb. 

Till now, the team management has not decided on the players it is looking at when it comes to replacing Jadeja. Axar Patel and Nadeem Saxena are currently in line to replace the magical all-rounder on field. 

Bowlers who are likely to replace Bumrah are Shardul Thakur or T Natarajan. But given the experience of Thakur in international cricket, he will be preferred over Natarajan to take the command on the given day. It will be a tough day for team India as they will on field not with the same placers they came with. 

The fourth test in Brisbane is a decider and not being in full form definitely impacts the morals of the team in Blue. Apart from Bumrah and Jadeja, a call has to be taken on Hanuman Vihari, who along with Ravichandran Ashwin saved India’s journey through a marvelous campaign against Australia, is also not completely fit. 

Vihari has suffered a hamstring injury in the earlier matches, which makes it difficult for him to pass the fitness test. Even for Ravichandran Ashwin, it is difficult to confirm anything as the match winner is struggling from severe back pain. In fact, the bowler was struggling with the same problem when he partnered with Vihari during the third test that led to a draw. 

The BCCI is yet to communicate anything on this matter but sources say that anything for certain will only be revealed in the upcoming two to three days. Having said that, a medical report revealed that the situation is tense and the medical assessment is not on the positive side. 

Since the team landed in Australia, it has been surrounded by a number of controversies ranging from racism allegations by the Australian team management to Australian cricketer Tim Paine’s treatment of Ashwin. It will be interesting to watch the team in action for the fourth test despite all of these ordeals.