Bumrah doubtful for India's T20 World Cup opener against USA
Mumbai (PTI): India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is doubtful for the team’s opening T20 World Cup match against the United States on Saturday after feeling slightly under the weather and skipping the training session the previous evening.
With the opening fixture expected to be a one-sided affair, the Indian team management is in no mood to take any risk with its most important fast bowler at the very start of a long campaign, it is learnt.
Bumrah, central to India’s white-ball plans, did not bowl at the nets on Friday, prompting speculation that he could be rested purely as a precautionary measure. He was running a bit of temperature.
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In case the 32-year-old fails to recover in time, Mohammed Siraj, who joined the squad on Friday evening, is expected to slot into the playing XI.
However, with Hardik Pandya likely to share the new ball, Siraj might have to operate as the first-change bowler.
India have a packed group schedule with matches lined up on February 12 against Namibia, on February 15 against Pakistan and on February 18 versus Holland.
The Pakistan fixture remains doubtful due to the prevailing uncertainty, making the USA contest largely inconsequential in the larger scheme of things.
Given the heavy workload ahead and tougher opponents to follow, resting Bumrah against a relatively inexperienced side appears the most sensible option.
The team management feels that preserving Bumrah for the business end of the tournament is paramount.
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French President Macron concludes Mumbai visit
Mumbai (PTI): French President Emmanuel Macron, along with First Lady Brigitte Macron, left Mumbai for New Delhi on Wednesday after concluding his engagements here, including bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
They were seen off at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport by Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde.
On Tuesday, Macron held discussions with Modi as part of efforts to further strengthen India-France strategic ties.
During the Mumbai visit, the French president and his wife also met some of India's top filmmakers and actors, and had an animated exchange with them about cinema, culture and collaboration.
President Macron is on an official visit to India from February 17 to 19 at the invitation of PM Modi to participate in the AI Impact Summit hosted by India in the national capital Delhi, besides the bilateral summit in Mumbai.
PM Modi will inaugurate the summit on February 19. As many as 20 heads of states, including French President Macron, will be present at the inaugural session, Electronics and IT Secretary S Krishnan said.
