Jasprit Bumrah Likely To Miss 2nd India vs England Test: Reports

Indian speedster Jasprit Bumrah is likely to miss the second Test against England, said reports. It is said that he made this decision to manage the workload. The 31-year-old bowler was instrumental in the first Test at Headingley, taking five wickets for 83 runs. Despite his absence in Birmingham, he is expected to return for the third Test at Lord's from July 10 to 14.

In Bumrah's absence, Arshdeep Singh is likely to make his debut in red-ball cricket for India during the Edgbaston Test. Arshdeep, who was named ICC T20I Cricketer of the Year in 2024, has been called up for this series. This will be his first opportunity to showcase his skills in a Test match setting.

Team Changes and Strategy

Nitish Kumar Reddy is set to replace Shardul Thakur as an all-rounder. Thakur's performance with the bat was underwhelming in the first Test, and he only bowled six overs in the first innings. Although he took two wickets consecutively in the second innings, it wasn't enough to secure his place.

Sunil Gavaskar, a former Indian captain, suggested that Bumrah should play all five Tests against England. However, India's head coach Gambhir disagreed with this idea. During a post-match conference on June 24, Gambhir emphasized that managing Bumrah's workload is crucial due to upcoming cricket commitments.

Focus on Player Health

"I think for us, managing his workload is more important because there's a lot of cricket going forward," Gambhir stated. "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," Gambhir added.

Bumrah had previously played all five Tests during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy but sustained a back injury during the fifth Test in Sydney. This injury sidelined him for over three months, highlighting the importance of careful workload management.