India Test squad for Sri Lanka tour to be picked next week; Jasprit Bumrah’s fitness in focus

Pace leader Jasprit Bumrah’s fitness will be keenly discussed as India’s squad for the upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka is set to be announced next week. India will open the tour with the first Test at Galle on August 15 before travelling to Colombo for the second Test on August 23.

Bumrah sat out of the recent series-deciding third ODI against England at the Lord’s after suffering an impact injury and reactive swelling on his left knee.

“We are monitoring his recovery process. The Test series is still some three weeks away, so he has enough time to recover and join the team in Sri Lanka,” a source close to the development told PTI.

However, the Indian squad will reach Sri Lanka by August 4 and is scheduled to play a four-day match at the Nondescripts Cricket Club in Colombo to acclimatise to the conditions.

But it remains to be seen whether Bumrah can travel with the squad in the first week of August. However, veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is set to return to the Shubman Gill-led side after playing an ODI against New Zealand in January, as his all-round skills will be of great value against Sri Lanka. Jadeja was overlooked for the recent three-match one-day series against England, which lost 1-2.

While pace duty is set to be shared between Bumrah, Mohammad Siraj and Prasidh Krishna, seasoned Kuldeep Yadav should be leading the spin department along with left-arm spinner Manav Suthar, who had an impressive debut against Afghanistan recently.

The third spinner could be Washington Sundar, who had a four-wicket haul in the second innings against the Afghans at Mullanpur, while left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey will continue to be the back-up slow bowler.