BCCI plans to bring in three new pacers if India fail to qualify for WTC final

Jasprit Bumrah’s constant battle with injuries has forced BCCI to build a new pace attack in Test cricket. The star pacer will remain the go-to option, but the goal is to develop a strong group of pacers who can fill his void in the longest format. The management is eyeing players with good pace and those who can generate bounce off the surface.

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. BCCI also understands that the pacer is not getting younger and hence, there are plans in place as far as the transition is concerned. That being said, the management understands that Bumrah is still extremely valuable for the side but his availability could be limited. Especially with the ODI World Cup around the corner.

The current pace attack has Mohammed Siraj as another dependable option, with the right-arm pacer known for maintaining intensity even on unresponsive surfaces. However, outside Bumrah and Siraj, there are concerns over whether India have another fast bowler capable of consistently troubling opposition batters at the highest level.

Mohammed Shami's situation has also drawn attention. After returning from a lengthy knee injury, the experienced pacer produced a strong Ranji Trophy campaign for Bengal, leading the attack almost by himself. Despite that performance, he was not included by the selectors and team management, suggesting he may no longer be part of India's immediate plans.

The management, however, wants a player with similar characteristics and hence, Tushar Deshpande, Gurjapneet Singha nd Nachiket Bhute are being tracked at the moment. All these pacers can generate a good amount of pace and in case India are out of the WTC final race, their progress could be fast-tracked and the pacers could be on the flight to New Zealand.

“If we come to know during the New Zealand tour itself that our chances of making the (WTC) final are no longer possible, we should start giving more opportunities to quicks like Tushar Deshpande, Gurjapneet Singh and Nachiket Bhute (of Vidarbha). These bowlers can generate some pace. Unless you try them out, you’re never going to find out how they respond at the highest level,” a BCCI source said as quoted by The Telegraph.

India's dependence on Bumrah was evident during the 2024-25 Australia tour, where the team suffered a 1-3 series defeat. Their struggles increased whenever Bumrah was unable to provide breakthroughs. Although India managed a 2-2 draw in England last year, their batting performances played a major role, along with England's ineffective shot selection.

Bumrah's absence from all five Tests in England also highlighted selection decisions around other pace options. Left-arm fast bowler Arshdeep Singh, who can move the ball both ways, was not given an opportunity during the series. Instead, Anshul Kamboj featured in the fourth Test at Manchester but was not selected again. Since then, Kamboj hasn’t been a regular in the side and for the Sri Lanka series, Auqib Nabi has been given a chance.