MANCHESTER: Ever since India's tour of England began, Jasprit Bumrah's workload management has assumed national importance. Amid all the chatter on pacers' workload and an urgent need to manage them, Mohammed Siraj has quietly toiled in the whites for three back-to-back Tests. But then, it's not a surprise. Because it's what he does.
Since the beginning of 2023, the pacer has featured in 24 out of 27 long format games India has played. In terms of overs bowled, he's third in the list (only pacers) with 569.4, the most by an Indian. Australia skipper Pat Cummins (721.2 overs) and his teammate Mitchell Starc (665.1) are placed at No 1 and 2 respectively.
Ryan ten Doeschate, India's assistant coach, touched upon the issue after the team's training session in Beckenham on Thursday. "Let's first start with Siraj before we talk about Bumrah," he said. "I think we take for granted how lucky we are to have someone like that. I know he doesn't always have the returns that you expect from a fast bowler, but in terms of heart, he's like a lion and what he brings to this bowling attack, whenever he does have the ball in hand you always feel like something's going to happen."
The 31-year-old right-arm pacer is the leading wicket-taker in the series with 13 wickets. In the three Tests so far, Siraj has bowled 109 overs. He is third on the list of pacers with most overs in the series. England's Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse, who have bowled 121 and 117 overs respectively, are the top two. India pace spearhead Bumrah, who was rested for the Edgbaston match, has bowled 86.4 overs.
The former Dutch all-rounder admitted the management has to make sure Siraj is fit as he is always raring to go. "He's not someone who's going to shy away from workload, so it makes it even more important for us to manage his workload and make sure that he's at least fit to give his best. And again, we'll take a call on the combination we play, particularly given the Arshdeep (Singh) situation as well, we'll make that call closer to Manchester."
Prediction of rain
Given the overcast condition here in Manchester and prediction of rain and cloudy weather almost throughout the entirety of the match, India will be tempted to go with Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah.
However, what can help the visitors is the eight-day gap between the Lord's game and the fourth Test. Even on Thursday, pacers including Siraj and Bumrah, who featured in the Lord's Test, didn't bowl in the practice session, the first since July 14, at Beckenham, a London suburb.
Bumrah may play in Manchester
The India assistant coach, however, dropped a hint saying the Gujarat pacer may play in the next match. "... we'll still make that call in Manchester. We know we've got him (Bumrah) 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. But again, we've got to look at all the factors. How many days of cricket are we going to get up there? What do we feel is our best chance of winning that game? And then how that fits in together with The Oval and looking at the last two games holistically as part of the series."
Injury cloud over Arshdeep
Arshdeep Singh, yet to feature in any of the three games, sustained a cut on his hand while trying to stop a ball. Ten Doeschate confirmed it and said the medical team has taken him to see a doctor. The southpaw may be an outside shout to feature in the fourth Test as a point of difference if the weather continues to be overcast.