Shubman Gill hints at left-arm pacer's likely debut in IND vs ENG 5th Test; talks about Kuldeep, Bumrah

India are down 1-2 in the series against England as they head into the final match of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, looking to level things up. As anticipation builds for the fifth and final Test against England, captain Shubman Gill has strongly hinted that 26-year-old left-arm pacer is set to make his Test debut. The match begins this Thursday in London.

Arshdeep Singh has already made his mark in white-ball cricket, with 99 wickets in 63 T20Is and 14 wickets in 9 ODIs. However, he’s yet to feature in the longest format. That is likely to change this week, with Arshdeep expected to join the playing XI.

Arshdeep may replace Anshul Kamboj in the lineup, although the final decision is still awaited. Gill also addressed possible changes to the squad, leaving room for strategic adjustments based on pitch conditions and team needs.

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Shubman Gill Talked About Potential Changes for the Upcoming Test:

Shubman Gill suggested that Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar are likely to be the main spinners for the fifth Test, indicating that Kuldeep Yadav might miss out again. When asked about Arshdeep Singh's potential debut and England's decision to exclude Liam Dawson, Gill responded thoughtfully, hinting at strategic decisions based on team balance and pitch conditions.

In the press conference, skipper Gill said, “ Arshdeep Singh has been asked to get ready but we will take a call on the Playing XI after looking at the pitch, by this evening. England haven't gone with a frontline spinner. Jacob Bethell and Joe Root - I think they are going to have their spinning options with them. We have Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, who have such a good job with the ball and the bat. On their front, it's a no-brainer for us.”

When questioned about India opting for a long batting lineup instead of an extra specialist bowler, Shubman said, “ Washington, he is someone who has given us so much control with the bowling. His batting has been a really big plus for us. We are fortunate to have players like him in the team, who can prevent a collapse. With him we have improved that area.”

Shubman Gill Updated on Jasprit Bumrah:

Shubman Gill didn’t clearly confirm whether Jasprit Bumrah will be available or miss the fifth Test, leaving his participation uncertain for now. He further said, “ We will take a decision tomorrow, wicket looks very green. So let's see.”

He added, “ 2-2 will be very significant for this team. Every match we have played, it was difficult to decide the winner after first four days. Series has been a great learning curve. Somethings you can learn from experience, hopefully finish on a high! All the matches in this series have gone till the last session of the fifth day. I don't remember any such series.”