IND vs SA 2019: Umesh Yadav Replaces Jasprit Bumrah in the Test Squad

India got a big blow ahead of the Test series against South Africa. Their key pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the Test series with a minor stress fracture in his lower back. Umesh Yadav has been recalled as the replacement.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India said in a statement that Bumrah’s injury was detected during a ‘routine radiological screening’ on Tuesday (September 24). The speedster will now undergo rehabilitation at the NCA in Bangalore and he will also be monitored by the BCCI Medical Team.

With this injury, Jasprit Bumrah will have to wait to play his maiden Test at home. He has been leading the pace department for India in recent times. He has picked up 62 wickets in 12 Tests so far in away Tests. He has been going through a great form and bagged 13 wickets in two Tests in India’s recent tour to West Indies. It included two five-wicket hauls and a hat-trick as well.

However, it’s a well-deserved call-up for another pace-spearhead Umesh Yadav who has been a constant name featured in the home Tests for the last couple of years. He picked up 10 wickets against West Indies in his last Test at home in last October. In 41 Tests, Yadav has picked up 119 wickets so far which came at an average of 33.47. However, he was not a part of the India squad against West Indies.

Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami are the other two pacers named in the squad for the South Africa series. The first Test is scheduled to begin on October 2 in Visakhapatnam before they move to Pune and Ranchi respectively.

Test squad: Virat Kohli (Captain), Mayank Agarwal, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (Vice-captain), Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (Wicket-keeper), Wriddhiman Saha (Wicket-keeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Shubman Gill