"He did not bowl on the final day" - Former RCB cricketer on India's playing 11 changes for ENG vs IND 2025 5th Test

Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and India spinner, Murali Kartik wants Jasprit Bumrah to play the final Test of the ongoing five-match series against England. The fifth Test is scheduled to begin on Thursday, July 31, at The Oval.

Ahead of the series, the Indian management and Bumrah himself declared that he would play only three matches to manage his workload. However, as India batted the entirety of the fifth day of the Manchester Test, the pacer got a day's rest and will have three more days before the next game begins.

With India 2-1 down in the series, making the final game a must-win for them, Murali Kartik expects Bumrah to play.

"Bumrah is an interesting story here. He did not bowl on the final day. There are three more days now (for the fifth Test). I would expect him, a player knows whether he can play or not, but especially when you are 2-1 down and when the team can win with your bowling, then if his body is fine I think he should play. The absence of Rishabh Pant is a big blow because he is an X-factor player, someone who scares the opposition. It will be important to see what happens with the bowling now," he said on Cricbuzz. (11:34)

Kartik also spoke about the need to make players feel wanted and to have clear communication. He added that Shubman Gill was a young captain and would learn with time.

"You make a squad and you want to run that squad in a particular way. The most important is the messaging to the players. The level of communication needs to be clean and direct. Shubman Gill is a young captain, he will learn with time. It is not easy. But you want logic and a pattern. The messaging should be straight. No one should feel why they are in the team. Everyone should feel wanted," he reckoned. (10:30)

His statement could possibly be aimed at Shardul Thakur. Played as an all-rounder, Thakur bowled only 11 overs in the first innings. In India's second innings, Washington Sundar was sent above Shardul to bat, putting question marks over the latter's role in the team.

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Murali Kartik praises India captain Shubman Gill for stepping up under pressure

India were reduced to 0/2 in their second innings when captain Shubman Gill walked out to the middle. Under pressure, Gill took responsibility and led from the front. He scored yet another century on the tour to maintain his impressive form with the bat.

However, he got out on 103, soon after getting to his ton, which Murali Kartik felt was a missed opportunity to score more.

"A missed opportunity (for Gill). There was a spell of Jofra Archer that was to be seen off. There he got out, lapse of concentration," he said. (8:30)

That said, he also praised Gill for stepping up as captain. He lauded both Gill and KL Rahul for their partnership at the top, which allowed India to go on and save the Test.

"One thing that stood out today, it was needed from the captain, his batting in the first session. In a debut series as a captain, he has come in an elite list. The determination and application stood out. At one point when Gill and Rahul were set, the trouble was still looming, but they came back and made a partnership and played well. That understanding and application stood out," he remarked. (9:19)

Gill and Rahul added 188 runs for the third wicket after the visitors were reduced to 0/2 at the start of the innings. Rahul, unfortunately, missed out on a hundred as he was dismissed on 90 off 230 balls.