Jasprit Bumrah not available for all five Tests in England: Ajit Agarkar
Mumbai, May 24 (PTI): A rejigged Indian Test team with massive boots to fill is already staring at its first big challenge with premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah declared not fit enough to play all five Tests in England later this summer.
While announcing an 18-member squad for the England tour here on Saturday, India's chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar said Bumrah does not have the clearance from the medical staff and physios to feature in all five Tests of the series starting in Leeds on June 20.
"I don't think he's available for all five Tests going by what the physios and the doctors have told us," Agarkar said when asked if Bumrah was available for the entire series.
India's over-reliance on Bumrah during their last tour of Australia, where he took 32 wickets in a little under five Tests, forced the ace pacer to limp out of the fifth and final match in Sydney and spend another three months recovering from a back-related trouble.
Bumrah had won the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year as well as the Men's Test Cricketer of the Year in 2024 for his exemplary performances across formats.
With 11 wickets, Bumrah played a vital role in India's title-winning run in the T20 World Cup in the Americas in 2024, and he finished with a rich haul of 71 wickets in only 13 Tests last year.
But towards the end of a successful run, Bumrah was forced to push his limits as a bowler while being the stand-in captain in Australia. Given the incredible workload, he crumbled eventually and even admitted to it during the Melbourne Test.
"Bas ab nahi lag raha zor (Enough for now, I am not able to push any further)," Bumrah was heard saying on the stump mic during the fourth Test in which he also recorded most overs (53.2) bowled by him in a match.
The Indian team will also be without Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma for the first time in many years..
From early January to the first week of April, Bumrah spent a considerable time in recovery and charting a path back to top-flight cricket. While India did not miss his services a great deal in the victorious campaign in the Champions Trophy, the right-arm bowler took nearly three months to make a comeback.
Bumrah finally got his clearance to join his Indian Premier League side Mumbai Indians after missing few initial matches, but since then he has been at the top of his game, rising rapidly in the list of highest wicket-takers.
In only nine matches, Bumrah has 16 wickets in this IPL, which is five less than the chart leader.
Agarkar, meanwhile, said the Indian camp will keep an eye on how the series goes for the 31-year-old Bumrah to see how his body can take the workload.
"Whether it's four or three (Tests), I think we'll see how the series goes and how his body can take the workload," he said.
"Needless to say, how important he is so even if he's fit for whether it's three or four Tests, I think he's going to win us a few Test matches..
"We're just glad that he's fit (from the) little setback that he had in Australia. (It) wasn't too bad (and) he's back playing. I know it is T20 cricket at the moment. But we've seen what he's doing in the IPL so we're just happy that he's part of the squad," Agarkar added..
Bumrah’s absence earlier this year was another instance of him missing top flight cricket for a considerable duration due to a back-related issue..
He had missed the T20 World Cup due to a back injury in late 2022 and had undergone a surgery in March 2023 before making his comeback into the side in the lead-up to the ODI World Cup later that year..
Agarkar confirmed Bumrah’s unavailability for the five Tests in England was the reason behind him not being considered for the vice-captaincy job..
“Once he was not going to be available for all the Test matches… I think it is more important to have him there. You want him,” Agarkar said..
“There's always that extra burden when you're leading (and) managing 15-16 other people. There's a lot that takes out of him. We would rather have him bowling as well as he does and putting that extra burden on you.”.
“But he's aware of it. We've had a chat with him. He's okay with it. He knows where his body is at the moment and he'd rather look after himself and be bowling fit.”
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Ordinance issued to increase number of Supreme Court judges from 34 to 38
New Delhi (PTI): The government has promulgated an ordinance to increase the strength of the Supreme Court from the present 34 judges to 38, including the Chief Justice of India.
The law ministry notified the ordinance on Saturday, which amended the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, to increase the sanctioned strength of the top court.
So far, the sanctioned strength of the top court was 34, including the Chief Justice of India (CJI). Now, the number of judges has been increased by four, taking the sanctioned strength to 38.
The top court will now have 37 judges, other than the CJI.
With the apex court having two vacancies at present, and the ordinance coming into force immediately, the Supreme Court Collegium will now have to recommend six names for appointment as judges in the top court.
A bill will be brought in the Monsoon Session of Parliament to convert the ordinance – an executive order – into a law passed by Parliament.
The Union Cabinet had cleared a draft bill on May 5 to increase the number of apex court judges.
The strength of the Supreme Court was last increased from 30 to 33 (excluding the CJI) in 2019.
The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, as originally enacted in 1956, put the maximum number of judges (excluding the CJI) at 10.
This number was increased to 13 by the Supreme Court (Number of Judges), Amendment Act, 1960, and to 17 by another amendment to the law.
The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 1986, augmented the strength of judges from 17 to 25, excluding the CJI.
A fresh amendment in 2009 further increased the strength from 25 to 30.
Article 124(3) of the Constitution lists the qualifications required to become a Supreme Court judge.
An Indian citizen who has either served as a high court judge for at least five years, or as an advocate for 10 years, or is a distinguished jurist, can be appointed to the top court.
The strength of the Supreme Court is increased based on the recommendations of the CJI, who writes to the Union law minister. After consulting the finance ministry, the Department of Justice under the law ministry moves the Cabinet with a draft bill.
