Jasprit Bumrah returns as captain for the T20I series in Ireland

Normally, a T20I series against Ireland would not be significant for Indian cricket. The Irish team is a Test-playing nation, but it has not qualified for the upcoming 50-over World Cup. Their fortunes in the shortest format have also been less than stellar recently.

However, the three-match series in Dublin in the second half of August is significant because it marks Jasprit Bumrah’s return to competitive cricket after a lengthy injury layoff. The sprinter has been recovering from back surgery. The stress reaction in his lower back could have ended his career, but it appears that Bumrah will be ease back into top-level cricket, with the World Cup starting in just over two months.

Bumrah will lead a 15-member squad for matches on August 18, 20, and 23. He led India in a rescheduled Test against England last year, where Rohit Sharma was rule out due to Covid-19. Bumrah last played for the national team in September 2022, but brought back prematurely for the T20 World Cup in Australia. The series will follow the Asia Cup in 50-over format and an ODI series against Australia. Selectors and team management will be cautious about increasing Bumrah’s workload, focusing on his response to four-over stints before deciding to bowl 10 in a match.

Bumrah’s return in time for the World Cup will be good news for the hosts, as his pace and intelligence could be the X-factor on Indian pitches that have traditionally been unfavourable to faster bowlers. The majority of the venues where India will face the other top teams are known to favour spin. More than the outcomes of the three matches, how Bumrah performs in his comeback series will be closely watch.

Indian squad for T20I series against Ireland:

Jasprit Bumrah (C), Ruturaj Gaikwad (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (wk), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Ravi Bishnoi, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar, Avesh Khan