India Test captain Shubman Gill refused to confirm whether Jasprit Bumrah will be available for the fourth Test at Old Trafford, Manchester, which starts on July 23. After Bumrah bowled a gruelling 43 overs in the third Test at Lord’s, there is growing speculation that the pace spearhead might be rested to manage his workload ahead of the series decider at The Oval.

“You’ll get to know soon,” Shubman Gill said during the post-match press conference, choosing not to divulge any concrete update on Bumrah’s selection. With the series delicately poised at 2-1 in England’s favour, the management will have to weigh Bumrah’s form against the risk of burnout.

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India came heartbreakingly close to pulling off a memorable win at Lord’s, only to fall short by 22 runs. From 112/8, Ravindra Jadeja fought valiantly with a gritty 61* off 181 balls, shepherding the tail with Bumrah (5 off 54) and Mohammed Siraj (4 off 30). Despite their resistance, Ben Stokes’ men held their nerve to seal a dramatic victory in one of the most pulsating Tests in recent memory.

A loss in Manchester would all but end India’s hopes of winning a Test series on English soil — a feat they haven’t achieved since 2007. Bumrah’s potential absence, thus, looms large over the visitors’ chances.

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On a positive note, Gill confirmed that vice-captain and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant is expected to recover in time for the fourth Test. Pant had left the field on Day 1 of the Lord’s Test after injuring his left index finger while diving for a ball down the leg side. He didn’t keep wickets for the rest of the match, with Dhruv Jurel stepping in.

“Rishabh went for scans. There’s no major injury, so he should be fine,” Shubman Gill assured.