India might face a big blow before the second Test against England at Edgbaston, Birmingham, as star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is likely to miss the match to manage his workload, according to reports.
The decision, confirmed by BCCI sources, comes even after Bumrah delivered a standout performance in the series opener at Leeds, where he took five wickets in the first innings.
Bumrah not playing could seriously weaken India’s bowling, especially since the rest of the fast bowlers didn’t perform well in the first Test. Prasidh Krishna proved expensive, and Mohammed Siraj struggled for breakthroughs, leading to questions over India’s depth in the pace department.
India had planned from the start to play Bumrah in only three out of the five Tests to keep his workload in check. While his return is expected for the third Test at Lord’s starting July 10, the second match in Birmingham beginning July 2 will go ahead without him.
In Bumrah’s absence, left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh is expected to be the frontrunner to make his Test debut. Although yet to play a red-ball international, Arshdeep brings with him ample white-ball experience, being India’s highest wicket-taker in T20Is.
Akash Deep and all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy are other pace options India could consider. Reddy might also offer batting depth, which could be crucial on the Edgbaston pitch.
Former India coach Ravi Shastri had warned against resting Bumrah too soon, emphasizing his role in preventing India from falling 2-0 behind in the series. Similarly, batting legend Sunil Gavaskar had suggested that India should try to play Bumrah in all five Tests.
However, current head coach Gautam Gambhir defended the decision, saying Bumrah’s long-term fitness remains the top priority.
India’s management now faces a tough balancing act protecting their premier fast bowler while trying to level the series. All eyes will be on how the replacement pace unit performs in Bumrah’s absence when the second Test begins on July 2.