Indian cricket team fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah will not play in the third Test match against New Zealand in Mumbai starting Friday, according to a report by Indian Express. India are already trailing 0-2 in the three-match Test series and the report stated that the team management are looking to ‘rest’ Bumrah for the upcoming Australia tour. Indian cricketers are expected to fly to Australia on November 10 for the five-match series and Bumrah will be joining the team at that point. According to the report, he has already flown back home to Ahmedabad. In the absence of Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj is expected to play.

“He won’t be playing the Mumbai Test and has flown back home. The Indian team management wanted him to take some rest so that he could recover his body. He will now join the Indian team when the team departs for Australia,” a source told Indian Express.

Meanwhile, head coach Gautam Gambhir on Thursday refuted the claims that Indian batters’ skill set against quality spin bowling has deteriorated over last few years but felt that the slam-bang nature of T20 cricket has affected players’ defence.

India were found wanting once again at Pune in the second Test as their 113-run loss on a spin-friendly pitch ended their 12-year unbeaten run on home soil.

“I don’t think so,” Gambhir asserted when asked if Indian batters’ spin negotiating skills have gone down.

“Sometimes you have to give it to the opposition as well. Mitchell Santner was outstanding in the last game. But yes, we’ll keep working hard, we’ll keep getting better. Guys are putting in a lot of hard yards in the nets.

“Ultimately it’s the results that matter when you’re playing international cricket but I don’t think that our skill against spin has actually gone down. It’s about probably keep working hard and keep getting better,” Gambhir said on the eve of the final Test.

(With PTI inputs)