Team India have been dealt a body blow to their chances of a series win with ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah being ruled out of the deciding ODI against England at Lord’s on July 19. Moments before the toss, the 32-year-old was ruled out of the contest with a knee injury.
Bumrah has been India’s in-form bowler in the opening two ODIs, setting an incredible tone with the new ball. Despite picking up only a solitary wicket in each game, the champion seamer has gone at an economy of only four in the series.
The BCCI issued a statement on Bumrah’s absence from the series decider, saying:
“Jasprit Bumrah had an impact injury on his left knee while fielding in the second ODI in Cardiff. He was not available for selection for the third ODI due to reactive swelling in his left knee.”
Indian skipper Shubman Gill also confirmed Bumrah’s absence for the final ODI at the toss, saying (via Cricbuzz):
“We have got three changes. Boom (Bumrah) misses out, he’s unavailable due to some knee injury. And so is Washington Sundar. Dube also misses out. KL comes in, Prince Yadav comes in, and Arshdeep comes back into the team.”
Bowling aside, Bumrah also scored a valuable 13-ball 20* in the second ODI despite India’s eventual defeat. India also made two other changes to the lineup that lost the second ODI, with KL Rahul returning after missing the previous game due to illness to replace Shivam Dube, and Arshdeep Singh and Prince Yadav replacing Bumrah and Washington Sundar, respectively.
Team India look to avoid a hat-trick of white-ball series defeats
Team India has endured a torrid tour of Ireland and England thus far, with only one win in nine outings. The Asian giants suffered a shocking 0-2 T20I series loss to Ireland before folding 0-4 in the five-match T20I series in England.
It was India’s back-to-back T20I series loss since the start of 2019. Despite winning the opening ODI against England, India slumped to another loss in the second ODI, leaving the three-match series 1-1.
A loss in the ongoing Lord’s ODI will make it a disastrous hat-trick of white-ball series defeats in their Ireland and England tours. They will be chasing in the contest after the hosts won the toss and elected to bat first.
Edited by Venkatesh Ravichandran