The marque Test series of four games between India and Australia is scheduled to commence on December 6 in Adelaide. This series is being tipped as the best chance for the visitors to register first ever series win over Australia at home, the reason behind same can be the exclusion of Steve Smith and David Warner from the home team. With India’s bowling attack looking formidable, it won’t take much for them to run through the Australian batting. However, Sanjay Manjrekar reckons that Bhuvneshwar Kumar will not play the series opener despite being the lead pacer in the line-up.

Bhuvi has played only two Tests this year in South Africa and has picked 10 wickets at an impressive average of 20.30. But since then he has failed injured more often and was ruled out of the England Test series as well. Even, he was rested The right-arm pacer was also rested for the Windies Tests along with Jasprit Bumrah which hasn’t given him game time in the longest formats. Moreover, Bhuvneshwar didn’t bowl in the ongoing warm-up game as well.

Sanjay Manjrekar, while speaking to ESPN Cricinfo, was of the opinion that it will difficult to pick Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the bowling line-up, especially after looking at the form of the other bowlers. Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma did extremely well in England knocking out the opposition twice in almost every game of the five-match series.

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Describing his point further, Manjrkar said, “Bhuvneshwar would not be in my XI for the first Test, purely because he would find it difficult to dislodge the three seamers who are likely to play in the first Test on current form, fitness, everything. Ishant Sharma was very consistent in England, so he is your perfect third seam option. Jasprit Bumrah is the leader of the attack. Mohammed Shami was pretty impressive in England, so Bhuvneshwar would find it difficult to dislodge these three.”

However, the cricketer-turned-commentator also felt that there are chances of Bhuvi being in the playing XI in the latter part of the series where the conditions will favor his bowling and it also depends on how the other bowlers faring fitness and performance wise.

Majrekar explained, “Maybe in the second Test, at Perth, he might have an opportunity, but the Bhuvneshwar Kumar we saw in South Africa and the one we are seeing now, post-injury, he is not the same bowler. I would be very surprised if he is picked for the first Test. And after that, it depends on the performance of the other three seamers.”