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England and India are currently battling it out in the second Test of the five-match series at Edgbaston in Birmingham. After suffering a heavy defeat in the opening Test at Headingley, the visitors were expected to come back with a full-strength side. However, the absence of pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who was rested for the match, surprised many.
The decision didn’t sit well with Indian fans and several cricket experts, especially considering India trail 0-1 in the series. Bumrah, who was instrumental in India’s recent successes including their T20 World Cup triumph, was left out as part of workload management—an explanation that hasn’t convinced everyone.
Ravi Shastri lashes out at team management for resting Jasprit Bumrah
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri didn’t mince his words as he criticised the team management for benching Bumrah in such a pivotal encounter. Speaking during a discussion on Sky Sports, Shastri questioned the logic behind the move, particularly after a week-long break following India’s loss at Leeds.
“I think Michael (Atherton) asked the question at the toss, if you look at the run India has had, this becomes a very, very important Test match. You have lost 3 against New Zealand, 3 against Australia and lost the first Test match here,” said Shastri.
“You have to get back to winning ways. You have the best fast bowler in the world and you make him sit out after 7 days of rest. It’s something very hard to believe,” he added.
India’s playing XI sees three changes for Edgbaston Test
In addition to resting Bumrah, India made two more changes to their lineup for the Edgbaston Test. Sai Sudharsan was dropped after a quiet debut, while India brought in three fresh faces: Akash Deep, Washington Sundar, and Nitish Kumar Reddy.
Akash replaced Bumrah in the pace department, while Sundar and Reddy were added to strengthen the all-round capabilities of the side. The move, however, has raised eyebrows with critics questioning whether India should have prioritised experience over experimentation in a match of such significance.
