Bumrah likely to play in Manchester as series enters its defining phase

Jasprit Bumrah will take the field at Old Trafford in the fourth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, his bowling partner Mohammed Siraj said two days out from the match. Bumrah's availability has hovered over each Test like a weather watch, shaped by a pre-series agreement that India's pace spearhead would play only three of the five games to manage his workload.

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But with India trailing 1-2 and the series slipping into its decisive phase, his inclusion in Manchester feels less like a decision and more like a certainty. The nine-day gap since the finish at Lord's on July 14 has only strengthened the case.

On Monday (July 21) morning, Bumrah was in a long, animated conversation with chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir. Soon after, he eased into his bowling spell in the nets: shorter than his usual tuneups, before picking up the bat for a hit.

Rain is forecast on three of the five days at Old Trafford, raising the outside chance that his bowling load may be lighter than usual. That, in turn, could open the door for him to play again at The Oval, where the final Test begins on July 31, just three days after this one ends. But that's a conversation for another day.