Jasprit Bumrah to Miss Second Test Against England Due to Workload Management
Bumrah's Absence for the Second Test
India's star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah will not participate in the upcoming second Test against England, scheduled for July 2, 2025, at Edgbaston, Birmingham.
Having taken 5 wickets in the first innings of the initial Test at Leeds, Bumrah has been rested as part of a strategic workload management plan. It was previously determined that he would only play in three of the five Tests in this series.
Impact of Bumrah's Absence
Bumrah was the standout bowler for India in the first Test, achieving figures of 5/140 over 43.4 overs. In contrast, the other Indian bowlers struggled significantly. Prasidh Krishna allowed 220 runs while taking 5 wickets, and Mohammed Siraj managed just 2 wickets in the first innings and none in the second, resulting in a disappointing combined total of 9 wickets for 482 runs across 92 overs.
Potential Replacements for Bumrah
With Bumrah sidelined, Arshdeep Singh is poised to make his Test debut. He is currently India's top wicket-taker in T20Is, boasting 99 wickets in 63 matches, although he has yet to play in a Test match. Other candidates include Akash Deep and medium pacer Nitish Kumar Reddy, with Shardul Thakur potentially being dropped to make room for Reddy, who offers more batting depth.
Mixed Reactions to Bumrah's Rest
Former coach Ravi Shastri expressed concerns that resting Bumrah could jeopardize India's chances in the series, stating, "If he (Bumrah) was looking at a rest, you may have to think twice. If you don't have him and then go 2-0 down, it could be an uphill task," during an interview with Sky Sports.
Sunil Gavaskar also voiced his desire for Bumrah to participate in all five Tests, while current coach Gautam Gambhir emphasized the importance of keeping Bumrah fit for future matches.
When questioned about Bumrah's participation in all five Tests, Gambhir remarked:
"I think for us, managing his workload is more important because there's a lot of cricket going forward, and we know what he brings to the table as well. So, before he came to the tour, it was already decided that he was going to play three Test matches. But let's see how his body turns out."