Will Jasprit Bumrah Play IND vs ENG 2nd Test?

The second Test will begin on July 2 in Birmingham. India’s other fast bowlers struggled in the first Test. Prasidh Krishna gave away too many runs. He took 3 wickets for 128 runs in 20 overs in the first innings. In the second innings, he took 2 wickets for 92 runs in 15 overs. Mohammed Siraj also failed to trouble the batters. He took 2 wickets for 122 runs in 27 overs in the first innings and went wicketless in the second innings, giving away 51 runs in 14 overs.

Will Jasprit Bumrah Play IND vs ENG 2nd Test in Birmingham?

In a major setback, India’s ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah will miss the second Test match between India and England. Sources have confirmed to NDTV that Bumrah is being rested as part of workload management. This decision is a big blow to the Indian team. Bumrah was India’s best bowler in the first Test in Leeds. He picked up five wickets in the first innings and bowled with great control. Bumrah’s figures were 5/140 from 43.4 overs, with an economy rate of 3.20. No other Indian bowler had the same impact.

Former India coach Ravi Shastri has warned against resting Bumrah. Speaking on Sky Sports, Shastri said,

Legendary India batter Sunil Gavaskar also wanted Bumrah to play all five Tests. But India’s current head coach Gautam Gambhir disagreed. He said Bumrah’s fitness was more important for the team.

Gambhir spoke to the media after the first Test. He said,

India’s Bowling Lineup Struggles in 1st Test

Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna together gave away 482 runs for 9 wickets from 92 overs. In comparison, Bumrah’s five-wicket haul came with much better control and fewer runs conceded. His absence in the second Test could hurt India’s bowling strength.
Before the England tour began, the Indian team had already planned to play Bumrah in only three of the five Tests. This decision was taken to manage his fitness and workload. Bumrah is likely to return for the third Test at Lord’s, which starts on July 10.

Will Arshdeep Singh Make His Test Debut in 2nd Test?

With Bumrah out of the second Test, India will need to make changes to the bowling attack. The team has two other pace bowlers in the squad, Arshdeep Singh and Akash Deep. Arshdeep is likely to make his Test debut. Though he has not played a Test match yet, he has experience in both ODIs and T20Is. He is India’s top wicket-taker in T20Is, with 99 wickets in 63 games.
Another option for India is medium pace all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy. He may come in to strengthen the batting. If that happens, Shardul Thakur could be dropped from the playing XI.

Bumrah’s rest means the Indian team will now look at other bowlers to step up. The second Test in Birmingham will be a crucial one. England lead the five-match series 1-0. India will need a strong performance to level the series. Without Bumrah, the task becomes harder.