India's chief selector Ajit Agarkar was holding out hope for Jasprit Bumrah's comeback in the final ODI against England before the team heads to the Champions Trophy in Dubai on February 15. However, Bumrah was left out of the three-match series at home, which kicks off on Thursday, raising more questions about his availability for the Champions Trophy. Captain Rohit Sharma didn't completely rule out Bumrah's return next week but mentioned that the team still hasn't received any official word on his fitness.

Bumrah picked up a back injury during the Sydney Test against Australia last month, causing him to miss the T20I series against England and the Ranji Trophy, where many regular Test players were returning to domestic action following a new BCCI directive. On Tuesday, he was also overlooked for the ODI series against Jos Buttler's team.

Agarkar had hinted during last month's press conference about Bumrah's potential inclusion in the squad for the England ODIs, but his name was absent from the updated squad released by the BCCI on Tuesday, which included spinner Varun Chakaravarthy instead.

Ahead of the first ODI at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur, Rohit spoke to the media and expressed hope for Bumrah's return, but noted that clarity on his situation would only come after the team management receives an update on the 31-year-old's medical evaluation.

"We're waiting for some news on his scans and stuff, which should happen soon. Once we have that, we can give you a better idea of where he stands," he said.

Rohit weighs in on the KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant debate

India faces a crucial decision in the ODI series against England, especially with the Champions Trophy on the horizon. The big question is whether to stick with KL Rahul as the wicketkeeper-batter at No. 5 or to bring in Rishabh Pant for a left-handed option.

Rahul stepped up as the keeper-batter during the 2023 ODI World Cup in Pant's absence, racking up 452 runs. While he brings a sense of stability to the lineup, the fact that most of India's top order is right-handed makes Pant's left-handed batting a tempting choice for some variety. However, Rohit hinted that the team might prefer to keep things consistent and continue supporting Rahul.

"KL has been our wicketkeeper in ODIs for quite a while now, and he’s performed well. If you check his last 10-15 ODIs, he’s done exactly what we needed. Rishabh is also an option, and we can choose either of them. Both can win matches for us, so it’s a nice dilemma to have. But looking back, maintaining continuity is key for us. That’s our current stance as a team," he mentioned.

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