Jasprit Bumrah should be rested for Mumbai Test versus New Zealand: Dinesh Karthik

Former cricketer Dinesh Karthik feels that Jasprit Bumrah should be rested for the third Test match between India and New Zealand, which gets underway on Friday, November 1, at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. The Kiwis are already 2-0 up in the three-match series after securing comprehensive victories in Bengaluru and Pune.

India embarked on a stretch of 10 Test matches with the series against Bangladesh. Bumrah played the two Tests against the Bangla Tigers and two more against the Blackcaps. After the third Test match between India and New Zealand, Rohit Sharma and Co. have a gruelling five-match Test tour of Australia waiting for them. Bumrah is expected to play a key role against the Pat Cummins-led side.

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Karthik suggested that Mohammed Siraj should be brought back into the playing XI as a replacement for Bumrah in the third Test versus the Kiwis.

“Jasprit Bumrah definitely needs a rest, without a doubt. That is happening, and you will see Mohammed Siraj come in. I can’t think of any other change unless someone has a niggle. I don’t see any reason why the batters who played this game or the bowlers should not get an opportunity,” Karthik told Cricbuzz.

Bumrah hasn't been at his best in the series against New Zealand so far, having bagged only three wickets from two matches at an average of 42.33. Meanwhile, Mohammed Siraj played the first Test before being replaced by Akash Deep for the second.

The loss and the disappointment of the defeat are still weighing very heavily: Karthik

The former India wicketkeeper-batter admitted that India's series defeat to New Zealand was a tough pill to swallow for him.

“The loss and the disappointment of the defeat are still weighing very heavily on my mind. I am not able to think very clearly what the XI will be. It’s too short a notice to be honest. But if I had to think straight away, I would say rest Bumrah and bring back Siraj,” Karthik added.

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New Zealand might have won the series but they will come out with the same intensity in the third Test as there are important World Test Championship (WTC) points at stake. India are still on top of the WTC standings but their percentage points have taken a hit after consecutive defeats to Tom Latham's men.