Former Indian fast bowler Varun Aaron believes India doesn’t want to give an inch to the West Indies in the upcoming two-match Test series and thus they have picked ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah in the squad. Bumrah’s workload was managed with guile on the England tour, where he played only three out of the five Test matches.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar said on Thursday that Bumrah is well rested and he would be available for selection in both Test matches. Aaron said India had received a drubbing against New Zealand in 2024 while playing in the home conditions and thus the home team doesn’t want to take any risks.
“After the drubbing we got against New Zealand, I don’t think Gautam Gambhir or Shubman Gill, because it is his first home series as captain, I’m sure he does not want to give even an inch, not even a quarter. I think they are very serious about Test cricket. India have made a lot of accommodation for Bumrah. If you are managing someone’s workload to that extent, you want him in every series. I think they might manage Bumrah’s workload in the ODIs in Australia as well. He might just play two,” Varun Aaron said on ESPN Cricinfo.
On the other hand, Aaron also backed Kuldeep Yadav’s selection in the final XI for the Windies Tests. Yadav had not got a single opportunity on the England tour, which was surprising for a lot of cricket boffins.
“All three (spinners) can bat, that is the best part of the Indian set up, where you have somebody like Axar, Jadeja, and Sundar. I hope that Kuldeep Yadav gets a game in this series, but if they choose that route, they can have 3 spinners who can bat. Kuldeep Yadav has been waiting too long in the wings, and he has been putting up performances in every competition, except Test cricket,” Varun Aaron said.
The first Test against the West Indies starts in Ahmedabad on October 2.
