Bumrah Cleared for Fourth Test; Pant Likely to Keep Wickets as India Battle Injuries

India have received a timely boost ahead of the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford, with pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah confirmed to be fit and available for selection. Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant also looks set to resume full duties after coming through a two-hour training session unscathed, easing concerns around his finger injury from the previous match at Lord’s.

Speaking to the media on Monday, fast bowler Mohammed Siraj confirmed Bumrah’s participation, saying, “So far, we only know that Jassi [Bumrah] bhai will play.” His return comes as a relief for India, who were hit by a string of injuries following the third Test.

Pant, who had injured his left index finger during the first innings at Lord’s and did not keep wickets thereafter, batted in both innings of that match. India were initially cautious not to aggravate the injury, but Monday’s extended net session saw him keep wickets and bat without discomfort. His readiness to don the gloves again removes the need for a specialist substitute keeper, as ICC regulations do not allow in-game replacements for wicketkeepers unless there is a fresh injury.

However, concerns remain over the fitness of Akash Deep, who is nursing a groin niggle. He bowled lightly during training, targeting bowling coach Morne Morkel’s mitt rather than a full session. Team management will continue to assess him over the next two days, balancing his recovery with the possibility that Bumrah could be rested for the fifth Test at The Oval.

In the absence of Akash Deep, the third seamer’s role could fall to either Prasidh Krishna or uncapped pacer Anshul Kamboj. Prasidh has struggled this series, averaging 55.16 and conceding over five runs an over, though he was tasked with aggressive short-pitched bowling spells. Kamboj, 24, has been in the selectors' plans and comes with strong domestic credentials—79 first-class wickets at an average of 22.88 since 2022. His ability to generate seam movement has also caught the eye of MS Dhoni during this year’s IPL.

India have also had to reshuffle their middle order after allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy was ruled out of the series with a knee injury. Sai Sudharsan is the front-runner to return to the XI after missing the last two Tests. He played the series opener at Headingley, scoring 0 and 30, but was dropped in favour of off-spinning allrounder Washington Sundar. Depending on conditions, India may opt for Shardul Thakur over Sundar if they favour a fourth seamer instead of a second spinner.

The weather forecast for Manchester could also play a role in India’s final XI, with light showers expected on the first two days and again on the fifth day. Should conditions allow and the series remain alive, Bumrah might even be available for a fourth Test at The Oval.

India trail 2-1 in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy after defeats at Headingley and Lord’s, and will need to win in Manchester to stay in contention.

India squad for fourth Test vs England
Shubman Gill (capt), Rishabh Pant (vc & wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Kuldeep Yadav, Anshul Kamboj

Series Summary: