"You should be available and play all matches" - Irfan Pathan's huge statement on Jasprit Bumrah ahead of ENG vs IND 2025 5th Test

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan believes ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah should play the fifth Test of the ongoing series against England. The fourth Test ended in a draw with the series 2-1 in favor of the hosts, and the fifth and final Test is scheduled to begin on Thursday, July 31, at The Oval.

Bumrah was set to play only three out of the five matches to manage his workload, which he already has. However, Irfan Pathan feels that if being a part of the squad, he should be available to play all the matches.

"What must India do now? Bowlers of both teams will be tired as it is the fifth Test coming. There is not a lot of gap. The tiredness comes. This is why even Bumrah is not playing, injury management or whatever it is. I am not in agreement with that. I still believe that if you are selected, you should be available and play all matches," he said on his YouTube channel. (9:43)

Irfan Pathan also urged India to think of bringing in Kuldeep Yadav for the final Test. Kuldeep has been on the bench for all four games so far.

"The question is can they somehow bring in Kuldeep Yadav? It is tough. But our bowlers are tired. Siraj is tired. Bumrah has the management issue. Then you need a wicket-taking bowler. I am not saying he will come in and pick wickets, there is no guarantee. But because the game is at The Oval where you get some bounce as a spinner, can they play him? Can you think of a combination where you can fit him?" he wondered. (11:54)

Kuldeep has played 13 Tests for India and has an impressive record with 56 wickets at an average of 22.16. Against England, he has picked up 21 wickets from six Tests at an average of 22.28. As the English batters have had issues against spin, he could prove to be an effective option with the ball.

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Sai Sudharsan must cash in, believes Irfan Pathan

Irfan Pathan also spoke about young left-hander Sai Sudharsan. He made his debut in the opening Test at Headingley but was dropped soon after. However, he returned to the side for the fourth Test, replacing Karun Nair at number three.

The left-hander scored a half-century in the first innings (61 off 151) and looked good in the middle. However, he was dismissed for a first-ball duck in the second innings.

Irfan Pathan believes that the youngster has it in him to excel and must keep working on his technique.

"Sai Sudharsan got the opportunity and now it is important for him to cash in. We have seen his ability in white-ball cricket. He has it in him. Yes he has to work on his head position, and keep working on his technique," he said. (6:50)

The 23-year-old has been a consistent performer in first-class cricket. He has scored 2048 runs from 31 matches at an average of 38.64 with seven hundreds. The final Test at The Oval will be a crucial game for the youngster to showcase his ability and deliver.