Team India, which registered a historic win at Edgbaston, failed to repeat the same success at Lord’s. In the third Test of the series against England, Shubman Gill-led India suffered a 22-run defeat. With this loss, India now trails 1-2 in the Test series. The next match will be played in Manchester, and after the result at Lord’s, it is likely that a few players will miss the upcoming game — including star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah.
Despite putting up a strong fight in the third Test at Lord’s, Team India couldn’t pull off a win on the final day. Although several Indian players performed well, at least three of them could be dropped for the next Test. One big name on that list might be Bumrah, whose exclusion could be part of workload management. The other two players who could be dropped are Karun Nair and Washington Sundar.
Is Karun Nair’s Test Career Over?
Let’s begin with Karun Nair, who made a comeback to the Indian team after 8 years in this series. All eyes were on him to see how he would perform. However, from Leeds to Lord’s, Nair disappointed in every match. Despite Sai Sudharsan being dropped after the first Test, Nair continued to get chances in the second and third Tests but failed to convert his starts into big innings. Among the top-order batters in the series, Nair is the only one who hasn’t scored a half-century. His highest score was 40 runs, which came in the first innings at Lord’s. In 6 innings across 3 Tests, Nair has managed only 131 runs. His omission from the next Test looks almost certain.
Will Bumrah Be Rested?
While Nair’s exclusion looks likely, all eyes will also be on Bumrah. It was announced before the series that Bumrah would only play three Tests. He featured in the Leeds and Lord’s Tests but was rested for the Edgbaston Test. The question now is whether India will rest him again for the final Test. There’s a 9-day gap before the next match, and the team management might use this break to manage his workload. If captain Shubman Gill and mentor Gautam Gambhir stick to the pre-decided plan, Bumrah may be rested again for the Manchester Test.
Sundar’s Spot Under Scanner
Washington Sundar’s selection was questioned even after the Edgbaston Test, and those questions resurfaced after the Lord’s match. Many wondered whether Kuldeep Yadav, a specialist spinner, should have been picked instead. Sundar didn’t do much in Edgbaston, but in the second innings at Lord’s, he bowled brilliantly and took four wickets. However, he failed to contribute with the bat in both innings. It remains to be seen whether India will replace him with a specialist spinner like Kuldeep Yadav or bring in a fourth fast bowler for the Manchester Test.