India could rotate Bumrah, Shami for limited-overs series against Australia
Team India is likely to rotate pacers Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah for the limited-overs series against Australia. The two nations are set to play six white-ball games (3 ODIs, 3 T20Is) and India will avoid playing them in all these matches. This is in order to keep these two premier pacers in shape for the four-match Test series. Here's more.
Australia vs India: A look at the full schedule
The tour will begin on November 27 with the ODI series, followed by matches on November 29 and December 2. Meanwhile, the three T20Is will be held on December 4, 6, and 8. The opening Test in Adelaide (Day/Night) will begin on December 17. Besides, MCG (December 26-30), SCG (January 7-11), and Adelaide Oval (January 15-19) will host the next three Tests.
T20Is clash with India's red-ball warm-up tie
According to PTI, if sources in BCCI are to be believed, Bumrah and Shami's workload management is of utmost importance for head coach Ravi Shastri and bowling coach Bharath Arun. This is in case pacer Ishant Sharma is not available for the first Test. Also, India's first red-ball warm-up game will be played between December 6-8 and the T20Is will coincide with the same.
India might not play JB and Shami in the T20Is
"If both (Bumrah and Shami) play the T20 Internationals (on Dec 4, 6 and 8), then they will have one warm-up match less which I don't think the team management will fancy at this moment," a source told PTI. The likes of Deepak Chahar, T Natarajan and Navdeep Saini could form the pace attack in the three-match T20I series.
Warm-up games crucial for Bumrah and Shami
Bumrah and Shami could play the ODIs and then switch their attention to Test match mode by playing the warm-up games. This will help them get the overs under their belt before the Day-Night Test at the Adelaide Oval. There is a pink ball warm-up game at the SCG from December 11-13 where India's likely 11 is set to play in the dress rehearsal.
