India's Bumrah to miss final test against England for 'personal reasons'

By Amlan Chakraborty

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India will be without pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah in the final test against England after the 27-year-old was released from the squad for personal reasons, the Indian cricket board (BCCI) said on Saturday.

The right-arm seamer took four wickets in the opening test in Chennai but was rested for the second match, which India won to level the series.

Bumrah returned to play his first test at his home ground in Ahmedabad, where India triumphed inside two days to go 2-1 up in the four-match series.

"Jasprit Bumrah made a request to BCCI to be released from India’s squad ahead of the fourth test owing to personal reasons," the board said in a statement. "Accordingly, the fast bowler has been released and he will not be available for selection for the fourth test."

India have decided not to add any player to cover for his absence for the final test, also in Ahmedabad from Thursday.

Bumrah had a limited role in the third test, where spinners Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin wreaked havoc with the pink ball and India did not feel the need to bowl any of their seamers in England's second innings.

In his absence, Mohammed Siraj will hope to be Ishant Sharma's new-ball partner in the final match.

A draw in Ahmedabad will be enough for India to win the series and book their place in the final of the inaugural World Test Championship against New Zealand in June.

(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; Editing by William Mallard)