Bumrah, Bhuvi likely to be rested for T20I tri-series

After a hectic tour of South Africa, pace duo of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah might be rested for the upcoming Tri-Nation T20 tournament in Sri Lanka. The national selection committee headed by MSK Prasad which is scheduled to meet on Sunday will decide on the Indian squad for the tri-series next month, from March 6-18. The workload of players is expected to be an important topic of discussion in the meet.

New Delhi: After a hectic tour of South Africa, pace duo of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah might be rested for the upcoming Tri-Nation T20 tournament in Sri Lanka. The national selection committee headed by MSK Prasad which is scheduled to meet on Sunday will decide on the Indian squad for the tri-series next month, from March 6-18. The workload of players is expected to be an important topic of discussion in the meet.

Bhuvneshwar and Bumrah, who have been India's star performers across formats, are likely to get a much-needed rest ahead of the long season that starts with the Indian Premier League. Bumrah, who suffered a niggle ahead of the second T20I was finally rested after playing all the matches in the tour so far.

Virat Kohli has also played all the matches in South Africa but his case will be slightly different from others as a decision on resting him will depend on the skipper himself.

"If Virat wants rest, he will get it. In Virat's case, it's he who decides on whether he would like to opt out or not. But you never know he might just want to play the T20 series as this is the last tourney of the season. Once the tournament is over, he will get a fortnight off before the Indian Premier League," a top BCCI official told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

When the chairman of selectors Prasad was asked by PTI on this matter, he refused to comment. But it is understood that fast bowling unit's composition will be a topic of discussion as and when the selection meeting is held.

With India set to play 63 international games including 30 ODIs in the coming season, a fit Bumrah is a priority for both the selectors and the team management.

In case, Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar are rested, Shardul Thakur and Jaydev Unadkat are expected to shoulder the responsibilities of new ball.

Kerala's yorker specialist Basil Thampi was in the reserves during the home T20 series against Sri Lanka and might just make a comeback in case either Bhuvneshwar or Bumrah or both are rested.