MSK Prasad explains the reason behind Jasprit Bumrah's selection for South Africa Tests

With Jasprit Bumrah getting a surprise maiden call-up in the Test team for the upcoming three-Test series in South Africa, MSK Prasad, India’s chairman of selectors, said that it was hard for the selection panel to look beyond the right-arm bowler as the fifth pacer.

Bumrah has made huge strides since making his international debut in January last year. The 23-year old, who first grabbed eyeballs first with his unorthodox action, has become one of the bowling mainstays of the team in the limited-overs format. The right-arm pacer made an instant impact on the international stage right from the very start with his ability to swing the ball into the right-handers and his toe-crushing yorkers. His form this year has been even more impressive, as he is the fourth-highest wicket-taker in ODIs in 2017 with 35 wickets to his name.

The selectors duly rewarded him with a place in the Test squad and Prasad made it clear that his performance in the last Ranji Trophy also convinced the selectors of his abilities in the longest format of the game.

“If you see his performance in the last 18 months, he’s been phenomenal,” Prasad said after the selection meeting in Delhi. “He’s been sensational and has done outstandingly well in both one-day and T20. Considering the Ranji Trophy he played last year (where) he bowled brilliantly in the whole season, we have no doubts. It is a unanimous choice and there is no doubt in picking Bumrah because he definitely adds variety to our pace attack. And considering the nature of wickets there, it will definitely suit his bowling.”

The other four pacers in the squad are Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav. Meanwhile, the three-Test series will start on January 5 in Cape Town before the teams move to Centurion and Johannesburg for the next two Tests.

India squad:

Virat Kohli (c), Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vc), Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Parthiv Patel, Jasprit Bumrah

Video of the day: