As doubts over Jasprit Bumrah’s availability grew following the Lord’s defeat, David Lloyd intensified the debate with an “extraordinary” remark.
Will Jasprit Bumrah Feature in the Fourth Test?
India’s fresh defeat at Lord’s reignited an old question: Will Jasprit Bumrah play the next Test? The management has stayed silent, but former England cricketer David Lloyd stoked speculation with an intriguing take.
India had announced before the series that Bumrah would feature in only three Tests to manage his workload after a back injury sustained during the Australia tour. The pacer returned in April and has already played two matches—missing only the second Test in Birmingham. With two games left, the team must now pick between Manchester and The Oval for his final appearance.
Speaking to TalkSport Cricket, Lloyd said India’s best chance is to play Jasprit Bumrah in the fourth Test at Old Trafford next week. However, if the series stands level at 2-2 after Manchester, Lloyd believes India could field him in the decider as well.
“It’s what they said and what coach Gautam Gambhir confirmed—that he will play three out of five Tests. He’s played two, so if they stick to their word, he should play at Old Trafford. But if they draw level at 2-2, you’d expect him at The Oval too. If England go 3-1, he won’t play,” Lloyd predicted.
David Lloyd Questions India’s Win Rate With Bumrah
When the anchor highlighted that India’s only win in the series came in Bumrah’s absence—during the Birmingham Test, where Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep shared 16 wickets—David Lloyd noted that the team’s win percentage without Bumrah appears stronger than with him.
Since Bumrah’s debut in January 2018, he has featured in 47 Tests for India, where the team holds a 20-23 win-loss record with four draws. In contrast, across 27 Tests without him during the same period, India secured 19 wins, lost only five, and drew three.