As India gear up for the fifth and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England at The Oval, captain Shubman Gill has kept the suspense alive over Jasprit Bumrah’s participation, even as left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh has been asked to prepare for a potential debut.
Despite being India’s standout bowler in the series with 14 wickets in five innings, Bumrah’s workload has been closely monitored. The pacer has bowled nearly 120 overs already — third-most among Indian bowlers — and was initially expected to feature in only three Tests on this tour. With the final Test on the horizon and the series on the line, team management now finds itself reconsidering its original plan.
“We’ll take a call tomorrow. The pitch looks quite green, so let’s see,” Gill said in the pre-match press conference, refraining from confirming Bumrah’s availability.
Meanwhile, Arshdeep Singh, previously sidelined due to a hand injury, has recovered and been instructed to be on standby. His inclusion could offer variety to the pace attack, particularly with Mohammed Siraj as the only certain pick and Anshul Kamboj likely to be dropped after a disappointing debut.
The team also faces a selection puzzle between pacers Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, and Shardul Thakur, who has struggled throughout the tour. The spin department is expected to be led by Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, especially since England will play without a frontline spinner. Kuldeep Yadav, too, remains a potential X-factor if India opt for a second specialist spinner.
One forced change in the batting unit is confirmed: Dhruv Jurel will replace the injured Rishabh Pant.
India have historically struggled at The Oval, with only two wins in 15 Tests, the most recent being in 2021. With a chance to level the series 2–2, all eyes are now on team selection and the pitch conditions.
