New Delhi, Feb 10 (NationPress) As the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup approaches, India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate announced that Washington Sundar and Jasprit Bumrah are scheduled to practice on Tuesday evening. However, Abhishek Sharma remains unfit due to a stomach ailment.

India is gearing up for their match against Namibia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Thursday, following a 29-run victory over the USA in their opening match at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday, largely thanks to Suryakumar Yadav’s impressive 84 not out. “Yes, Washi joined the team yesterday and will train today. Abhi is still facing some tummy issues. We are optimistic they’ll be ready for the game in two days,” said ten Doeschate.

“Booms will also bowl today. He hasn’t bowled in ten days but is feeling better. We will evaluate his performance in training today and tomorrow before Thursday’s match,” ten Doeschate informed reporters during a press briefing.

Washington returned to the squad after nearly a month, having last played in the ODI series against New Zealand, where he suffered a side strain while bowling in Vadodara in January. After completing his rehabilitation and resuming practice at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, he was cleared to participate in the World Cup.

Bumrah missed the game against the USA due to a viral infection, while Abhishek was absent during the second innings due to his stomach condition. In Bumrah’s absence, Mohammed Siraj stepped in as a replacement for the injured Harshit Rana and delivered an outstanding performance, taking three wickets and securing a win for the defending champions.

Responding to a question from IANS, ten Doeschate praised Siraj’s last-minute performance, although he acknowledged that Siraj would likely not be part of the playing eleven if Bumrah is fit to play in New Delhi on Thursday. “I think my smile gave it away. I’ve praised Suraj before for his hard work, particularly in longer formats. He arrived just two days after being called up, right after bowling 40 overs in a Ranji Trophy match as a captain. He showed no signs of fatigue and performed exceptionally well,” he remarked.

“It’s clear that if Bumrah is fit and we choose to field two specialist seamers, Suraj will likely be excluded from the XI. However, having four players not in the playing eleven contributing energy to the squad is crucial, and Suraj is one of those players you can always count on,” he added.

“I also believe he has a significant role in the World Cup. I previously spoke about combinations, and if we decide to utilize three seamers later on, he’s a player who won’t disappoint and will give his all,” he concluded.