Jasprit Bumrah’s availability for the second Test against England at Edgbaston remains doubtful due to workload concerns and injury management. The Indian team had already planned that Bumrah would play only three Tests in this five-match series.
However, which matches he would feature in hasn’t been revealed yet. Bumrah bowled extensively in the first Test at Leeds, delivering nearly 44 overs and taking a five-wicket haul in the first innings. With such a heavy workload, the chances of him playing the second Test starting July 2 are said to be low.
Although he was present during India’s long five-hour practice session on Friday, he didn’t participate in bowling or batting, and his physical activity during the session couldn’t be confirmed as it was held behind closed doors.
Backup Pacers Show Intent in Nets
While Bumrah rested, pacers Arshdeep Singh and Akash Deep grabbed attention in the nets. Both bowlers had lengthy spells, with Arshdeep focusing on bowling with an old ball and using angles, especially going around the wicket to right-handers.
This suggests the team might be preparing for reverse swing conditions expected in Birmingham. Mohammed Siraj also participated in the session and had a brief batting practice before joining Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna inside the venue.
The team management has not completely ruled out Jasprit Bumrah for the second Test, and his participation may still depend on how he feels during the next two practice sessions—an optional one on Saturday and a main session on Monday.
Team’s Approach and Possible Changes
Despite the defeat in Leeds, the Indian camp seems calm and focused. The players are being encouraged not to overthink the loss and to maintain their playing style. Instead of making major changes, the emphasis is on repeating the processes that put them in dominant positions earlier.
The selectors are yet to finalize the playing XI, and discussions regarding team combinations are ongoing. Given the seven to eight-day gap between each Test, the management may stick to its pre-decided plan of playing Bumrah in the first and third Tests and possibly one more later, depending on the series’ progress.
India’s Squad for England Series
Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.
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