Bumrah’s return to the Test squad is a surprise move.
The BCCI announced India’s squad for the first Test against Bangladesh, including Jasprit Bumrah‘s comeback, but his selection came as a surprise.
Reports had earlier indicated Bumrah may skip the first two Tests keeping the Australia series in mind and managing his workload properly.
However, with India struggling in the ODIs against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh defeating Pakistan 2-0, the team management seemed to change tracks.
Bumrah hasn’t played since the T20 World Cup final in November last year but recently regained fitness in the nets.
Despite the risk of rustiness after a long layoff, his presence is considered valuable against Bangladesh’s spin threat of Mehidy and Shakib.
The team appears to have moved away from the idea of resting Bumrah at home, given India’s tight Test schedule and big assignments overseas.
Weaknesses in the pace attack were also exposed against Sri Lanka. With Shami still unavailable, Bumrah’s inclusion strengthened the bowling unit.
His impactful performances in England earlier this year show the importance of having the lead pacer in the lineup on all surfaces.
Bumrah’s return ahead of schedule is being seen as a prudent move to boost the team’s chances of a positive result on home soil.
