India’s Arshdeep plan falls apart; Time to burn the Bumrah card?

Has Team India been left with no choice but to play Jasprit Bumrah in the Manchester Test?

The moment videos of Arshdeep Singh with a bandage on his bowling hand surfaced on the internet, it left the fans concerned. He was struck by a ball during training, and there’s a chance he might even need stitches. The timing couldn't have been worse. Yes, he’s still waiting for his Test debut, and Manchester might have been the perfect opportunity.

Reflecting on the situation, assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said, "He took a ball while he was bowling there. So he hit a ball, and he tried to stop it, and it's just a cut. So we have to see how bad the cut is. Obviously, the medical team have taken him off to see a doctor and obviously, if he needs stitches or does he not, that will be important to our planning for the next few days."

But here’s the situation: Bumrah was scheduled to play only one of the last two Tests, and with Prasidh Krishna leaking runs in his previous outing, it’s highly unlikely he’ll be picked again. Arshdeep was supposed to be the "break glass in case of emergency" option... but now even he is injured. So, does this mean India will have to play Bumrah even if they didn't want to?

"No, we'll make that call in Manchester still. We know we've got him for one of the last two Tests. I think it's pretty obvious the series is on the line now in Manchester, so there will be a leaning towards playing him," stated ten Doeschate.

Despite India playing some brilliant cricket, England lead the 5-match series 2-1. The 4th Test starts on July 23, and the message is clear—they may be forced to unleash Bumrah at Old Trafford. But if they do, it’ll likely be his last Test of the tour.