We want to wheel Bumrah out, but also want to respect where his body’s at – ten Doeschate

Jasprit Bumrah has remained the axis around which conversations have spun, whether steaming in with the ball or sitting out in plain view. Ever since it was revealed that he would feature in only three of the five Tests of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, a cautious call to preserve his body post his back injury in Australia, questions have trailed the decision like shadows. Was it a rigid plan? Who called the shots? And, with the series on the line at The Oval, and with India having bowled just once in Manchester, there were raised hopes of his participation in the series finale.

Bumrah, having fulfilled his quota of appearances, was absent again.

India’s batting coach Ryan ten Doeschate acknowledged the noise, calling it a “complex issue”, but pushed back on the idea that Bumrah was cherry-picking games. “You know, he did say he was going to play three games. He left it up to us which three he played. We’ve tried to manage the situation,” ten Doeschate said on Thursday (July 31).

With 14 wickets from three games including two five-fers and an average of 26, Bumrah is behind only Ben Stokes in the wicket-taking charts. But in those three games he’s bowled 119.2 overs, a substantial load on what have been mostly flat surfaces. India’s reliance on him is underscored by the fact that while he has bowled nearly 40 overs a Test, he’s sent down only 19 overs fewer than Mohammed Siraj, who himself has been overworked in all the four Tests so far. Ten Doeschate said the team management felt it was important to respect where he’s body is at.

“You know, we obviously want to wheel him out, but we also want to respect where his body’s at,” ten Doeschate said. “And on the basis of that, we just felt that it wasn’t worth including him in the squad [XI for the Oval Test]. You know, he has bowled a large number of overs. I know it doesn’t always seem like that because he’s only played three Tests and he only bowled in one innings in Manchester.

“But if you look at the loads, he has bowled a lot of overs. And like he did say coming into the tour, he was going to be available for three games. And we just felt it was right to honour that call.”

Ten Doeschate offered a glimpse into the jigsaw-like process behind choosing which three Tests Jasprit Bumrah would play. For instance, despite a full week’s break between Headingley and Edgbaston, and India trailing 0-1, Bumrah was rested for the second Test. He returned at Lord’s instead, leaving the management to ration his final appearance between Old Trafford and The Oval.

“Yeah, every time I’ve answered this question, I’ve spoken about putting the pieces of the puzzles together. And guys were baffled when we didn’t play him in the third [second] Test,” ten Doeschate said. “And our thinking, yeah, was that The Oval, yes, it’s got bounce, but it’s normally a fairly good wicket for batting on. And we thought if we had rolled the dice in Manchester, obviously if we had won the toss, we would have bowled. In hindsight, you would have loved to have him here. But you would also have said if we’d come here 3-1 down that we didn’t use him there.

“So it’s trying to not guess, but trying to look into the future and then try to see how we can manage him. And maybe England have got it spot on, leaving the best bowling wicket for the last test after he’s played three.”

The balancing act hasn’t just been about Bumrah. With his rotation affecting the rhythm of others, ten Doeschate acknowledged the wider impact on the group.

“It’s not ideal. I guess giving those guys attention, the guys who aren’t playing, particularly when you’re carrying 18, is important,” he said. “Make them know that you’re making all the decisions in good faith, in the best interest of the team. And just on that, all the guys who haven’t played, they’ve been fantastic. They’ve trained the house down. They’re disappointed when they get left out. They don’t let it show when they’re around the group, and that’s very important to creating a good culture for the guys who are playing to perform.”

Shoulder dislocation concern for Chris Woakes

While Jasprit Bumrah’s absence was a matter of preservation, England may now be facing a forced absence of their own workhorse for the remainder of the Test. Chris Woakes, who has shouldered the heaviest bowling burden this series with 181 overs, suffered what appeared to be a shoulder dislocation on Day 1 at The Oval and will undergo scans overnight to assess the full extent of the damage.

The injury occurred in the 57th over of India’s first innings. Woakes, stationed at mid-off, chased down a firm drive and managed to pull the ball back with a diving effort near the ropes. But he landed awkwardly and immediately clutched his shoulder in visible distress. India’s batters, Karun Nair and Sai Sudharsan, paused after running three, sensing the seriousness of the situation as England physio Ben Davies rushed out. After a quick on-field assessment, Davies fashioned a makeshift sling from Woakes’ jumper before escorting him off for further evaluation.

“I don’t know too much about it, but it doesn’t look great,” Gus Atkinson said. “It’s a big shame, last game of the series, and when anyone gets injured, it’s a shame. I’m hoping it’s not too bad, and whatever it is, he’ll get full support from everyone.”

Having featured in every Test of the series and taken 11 wickets at an average of 52.18, Woakes’ setback leaves England a player short for the remainder of the game. While Gus Atkinson is ready to absorb the extra bowling workload, England will sorely miss Woakes’ lower-order runs on a tricky surface.

“Definitely, I feel fresh, I feel good. I know I’ve only got this one game to play so I can push the limits a bit,” Atkinson said.