India vs New Zealand 3rd Test: India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar cleared the air surrounding Jasprit Bumrah's availability for the third Test against New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium on Friday. 

Indian management is taking a cautious approach with star pacer Bumrah's workload to prioritise his fitness and extend his career. The 30-year-old pacer made a great comeback for India's Test series at home after a lengthy break. The star pacer featured in the first two Test matches against Bangladesh in September and led the pace attack in the recent two red-ball games against New Zealand.

Nayar pointed out that Bumrah has been preserved for crucial matches and the star pacer received a fine amount of rest to be able to bowl.

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"He (Bumrah) has not bowled a lot. He has got ample rest. He is very important to us and workload is always in our mind," Nayar said not revealing much about Bumrah's availability for the final match of the series.

Although the pitch may not heavily favor seamers overall, Nayar noted that the morning session at Wankhede could see some swing and seam movement, aiding the fast bowlers.

"In the morning, there will be swing and seam. At Wankhede, you'll have pacers with a smile on their face," he added.

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Nayar has confirmed that India's squad for the third Test against New Zealand in Mumbai will stay unchanged. Earlier speculation indicated that Harshit Rana might be added to the team. However, the Indian team management has opted to stick with the existing lineup.

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"No additions to the squad. Every week is critical, every day is critical. We have not been narrow-minded in thinking about WTC final. We want to focus on this match,” said Nayar.


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