Even as the wounds from the Lord's defeat were still open, India was plagued by a well-known headache. After the loss in the third Test against England, and after much discussion about what went wrong for India, fans and analysts alike questioned in unison: Will Jasprit Bumrah play in the next Test?

The tension increased with what many termed an "extraordinary" dig by former England cricketer David Lloyd, even as India has remained silent about their plans.

In order to regulate Bumrah's workload, India announced prior to the start of the Test series that he will only be participating in three games throughout the tour. The pacer returned to action in April of this year, having just healed from a back injury he sustained while on the trip to Australia. The 31-year-old was rested for the second Test in Birmingham before being brought back for the third Test in London, according to head coach Gautam Gambhir's strategy.

India must now select between Manchester and The Oval for Bumrah's last game, as he has already played two. Lloyd told TalkSport Cricket that if the series is at stake, India's best chance would be to play Bumrah in the fourth Test, which begins next week at Old Trafford.

But he said that the visitors could be tempted to use Bumrah in the last game if India manages to tie the series again.

"They've said it, and the coach, Gautam Gambhir, has said that he will play three of the five tests. As a result, he has options. Only two more games remain. He has played two of them. He should play this next game at Old Trafford if they keep their word. However, they may be able to maneuver that, right? You'd think he'd play at The Oval as well if he played this next one at Old Trafford and they managed to tie the score at 2-2. I'm guessing, but I believe he'll play the next game and assess their position. He won't participate if England wins 3-1. However, he will play at the Oval if the score is 2-2.

David Lloyd noted that India's sole victory in the series thus far occurred in Bumrah's absence—in the Birmingham Test, where Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep together took 16 wickets—and that the team's win percentage has been higher without the fast bowler.

"It's incredible. He is said to be the greatest bowler in the world, and there is a statement that they lose more when he plays than when he doesn't. He continued, "He is a very nice guy, even if he is clumsy and unpleasant in his behavior."

Bumrah has represented India in 47 Test matches since making his debut in January 2018. Four games ended in a tie, but the club has a 20-23 win-loss record. But India only lost five of the 27 Test matches Bumrah missed throughout this time. Their victories totaled 19, and three of their games were tied.

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