IND vs SL, 1st Test, Day 1: With Team India embarking on a tour of Sri Lanka that include two Tests, the tourists are without their ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah. It is indeed a body blow for Team India, who need nothing less than a 2-0 victory over the Island nation to stay in the reckoning to play in the World Test Championship (WTC) final next year at the Kia Oval in London next year. But what is the reason that Bumrah is not playing?
IND vs SL, 1st Test, Day 1: Why is Jasprit Bumrah not playing at the series-opener in Galle?
The right-arm pacer has been ruled out of the Sri Lanka tour due to a knee injury. The Ahmedabad-born cricketer had sustained the injury before the third ODI against England at the Lord’s Cricket Ground in London. The initial reports were that he had cleared the fitness tests and is set to play in Sri Lanka but it later emerged that he had been ruled out. At the same time, Bumrah’s red-ball career is in severe doubt and is unlikely to make a comeback to the format any time soon.
The No.1 ranked ICC Test bowler is not the only casualty that India have been dealing with. The likes of B Sai Sudharsan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar and Harshit Rana are also injured currently, forcing the sub-continent nation to dig deep into their resources.
IND vs SL, 1st Test, Day 1: Team India become the third side to play 600 Test matches
Meanwhile, Team India have become the third team after England and Australia to pass a milestone of 600 Test matches. England hold the top spot with 1097 games, while Australia have featured in 883 of them.
Shubman Gill have also won an important toss and opted to bat first. According to the pitch report, as claimed by the Times of India, the first two days are likely to be good for batting. There is also rain predicted in Galle, meaning interruptions are likely on Day 1.
