Ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah rejoined Team India, while KL Rahul got ruled out as BCCI named a 16-man squad for the fifth and final Test in Dharamsala starting on March 7. Washington Sundar is also released from the team to play for Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy, BCCI’s said in a statement and added, “Sundar will rejoin the team, if needed, only after the competition of the Ranji Trophy tie”.

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Here is India’s 16-man squad for the fifth Test in Dharamsala –

Rohit Sharma (captain), Jasprit Bumrah (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (wk), KS Bharat (wk), Devdutt Padikkal, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep

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Following the end of the third Test in Rajkot, Bumrah was released from the squad for the next game to allow him some rest. India won the fourth Test in Ranchi by five wickets to seal the five-match series 3-1. However, despite missing that one game, Bumrah remains India’s joint-highest wicket-taker in the series, with 17 wickets at 13.64 from the first three matches.

In his absence, India played debutant Akash Deep, who impressed everyone with his new-ball spell, returning with three wickets in the first innings. With Bumrah returning to the side now, he will get back into the playing XI, replacing Akash Deep or Mohammed Siraj.

Meanwhile, BCCI also confirmed that after consulting with doctors in London over the quadricep-tendon injury that ruled him out of three of the four Tests played thus far, batter KL Rahul will remain unavailable for selection. 

“The BCCI medical team is closely monitoring him and coordinating with specialists in London for further management of his issue,” the statement read.

Shami to join NCA for rehab

On Mohammed Shami, the Indian Cricket Board said the seamer is recovering well after undergoing surgery on his right Achilles tendon earlier this week, and will join the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru for rehab soon.

“He is recovering well and will soon head to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru to commence his rehabilitation process,” the BCCI said in it statement. 

Though the five-match series might have been decided with India leading 3-1, two teams have World Test Championship points to play for. While India remains in the second spot, England is sitting in the eighth position at the bottom half.

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