India's omission of Bumrah causes widespread bafflement
Cricket - Second Test - England v India - Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Birmingham, Britain - July 2, 2025 India's Jasprit Bumrah during the warm up before the match Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs
BIRMINGHAM, England - As India went into the second test against England on Wednesday without pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, former players and coaches questioned the thinking behind resting the world's best bowler when they trail 1-0 in the series.
Bumrah took five wickets in the opening game at Headingley as England struggled to handle his pace and movement but the 31-year-old was rested with an eye on the third test at Lord's starting four days after the match at Edgbaston.
Bumrah has been trying to manage his workload due to back problems, the primary reason why he did not want to be considered for the test captaincy, while coach Gautam Gambhir said he would play only three out of the five tests.
"This is an important match for us but the third match at Lord's -- there may be something more in the wicket and we thought we'll play him (Bumrah) there," India captain Shubman Gill said at the toss where England put India in to bat.
But dropping Bumrah, who is ranked number one among test bowlers, left former India coach Ravi Shastri fuming.
"If you look at the run India has had, this becomes a very, very important test match," Shastri said on Sky Sports.
"You've lost three (in a row) against New Zealand, you've lost three against Australia, you've lost the first test match here, and you want to get back to winning ways.
"You have the best fast bowler in the world and you make him sit out after seven days of rest? It's something very hard to believe."
Former Australian cricketer and coach Tom Moody said the decision to rest Bumrah was "baffling" and that picking several all-rounders to add batting depth after the tail collapsed in Headingley could backfire.
India dropped Sai Sudharsan and Shardul Thakur from the lineup, with Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar and Akash Deep coming in.
"No Bumrah is one thing, but to only have five specialist batsmen is a gamble," Moody said on X.
"The fixation on all-rounders who are there to offer depth with bat and ball has never worked. Specialists are always going to offer more over a test."
Former England skipper Nasser Hussain said India may have panicked despite playing well at Headingley where they scored five centuries but were let down by poor catching.
"At times, Bumrah was unplayable. It was the catching and the collapses. They were the two areas of concern," he said.
"And the collapses, they've tried to put right by having batting depth without actually improving their bowling." REUTERS
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Doug Ghim maintains one-shot lead at PGA's John Deere Classic
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Doug Ghim tees off on the first hole during the second round of the John Deere Classic. WASHINGTON – Doug Ghim holed out from the fairway for an eagle for the second straight day on July 4, adding three birdies in a three-under 68 to maintain a one-shot lead in the PGA Tour's John Deere Classic. 'I guess holing out two days in a row is always nice,' said Ghim, who also chipped in for a birdie on the way to a 12-under total of 130 at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois. 'It's been a couple years since I think I holed out from the fairway. To get two (on) back-to-back days is great.' He had teed off on 10 and opened with a birdie, but gave the stroke back with a three-putt bogey at the 12th. He said the hole-out eagle was especially welcome at 15th, 'not the easiest of the holes out here'. 'It just felt like a huge, huge boost so it helped me stay more patient because something good happened to me there,' he added. Ghim, a 29-year-old hoping he can become the 25th player to claim a first tour title at this event, had five players on his heels at 11-under 131. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore CPF members can make housing, retirement and health insurance plans with new digital platform Singapore From temples to towers: Old memories collide with new money in Geylang Singapore Clans of Geylang: The fight for survival and revival Asia Magnitude 5.4 quake shakes south-western Japan islands as temblors continue Singapore Tan Cheng Bock and Hazel Poa step down from PSP leadership Life 'I applied to over 300 jobs': What people wish they knew before they got laid off Asia Dream wheels, Malaysian deals: Singaporean car lovers find affordable indulgence across the border Asia How a Singaporean heatproofs himself to cope with 40 deg C summer in Chongqing That included defending champion Davis Thompson, who had eight birdies in his eight-under 63, and US veteran Max Homa – who started the day one back and posted a three-under 68 to stay there. Argentina's Emiliano Grillo and Americans Brian Campbell and David Lipsky were also at 11-under. Another six players were a further stroke back on 132 going into the third round. 'The leaderboard is so bunched,' Ghim said. '(I will) just kind of keep my head down and try to birdie some par-fives and roll in a couple more 15-footers.' Former world No. 8 Homa was tied for the lead after rolling in a 20-foot birdie putt at the 17th, but as on the first day he bogeyed his final hole, finding a fairway bunker off the tee at 18. 'It got really windy,' said Homa, a six-time winner on the PGA Tour who has had just one top-25 finish this season. 'The greens got pretty crusty. It's just nice to keep playing well. 'It's definitely the best 36 holes off the tee I've had in a while consecutively, so that's nice.' Campbell shook off an early bogey to post six birdies, including four in a row on the back nine on the way to a five-under 66. Grillo also posted a 66 and Lipsky signed for a 67. AFP
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Red Bull boss says Max Verstappen wants to stay despite Mercedes links
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Red Bull's Max Verstappen looks on before the second practice session ahead of the British Grand Prix. LONDON – Red Bull team boss Christian Horner suggested on July 4 that despite 'all the noise', four-time world champion Max Verstappen is hoping to remain with the team next year. The 27-year-old Dutchman has been heavily linked with a move to Mercedes next season, with some Italian media reporting that Verstappen had already accepted an offer. Speaking during an official news conference at the British Grand Prix, Horner conceded that exit clauses existed in the Dutchman's contract, which runs to the end of 2028, but added that he felt Red Bull were in a 'fairly comfortable' position. 'There's obviously an awful lot of people talking about it, but what's most important is the relationship between the driver and the team,' said a defensive Horner. 'There's an agreement that defines that as well, and everybody's very clear on where we're at. 'Max has been with Red Bull since the very start of his career. All his successes come in Red Bull Racing cars. He's a big part of our team and he has a great deal of faith in the team and the people around him. 'So, whilst there's always going to be speculation and noise, I think we all sit fairly comfortable with where we're at and what the situation is. We can't control the narrative of others but we know where we're at.' Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore From temples to towers: Old memories collide with new money in Geylang Singapore Clans of Geylang: The fight for survival and revival Asia Magnitude 5.4 quake shakes south-western Japan islands as temblors continue Life 'I applied to over 300 jobs': What people wish they knew before they got laid off Singapore Tan Cheng Bock and Hazel Poa step down from PSP leadership Asia Dream wheels, Malaysian deals: Singaporean car lovers find affordable indulgence across the border Asia How a Singaporean heatproofs himself to cope with 40 deg C summer in Chongqing World Hamas says it responds to Gaza ceasefire proposal in 'a positive spirit' Asked if he could confirm that Verstappen would be a Red Bull driver in 2026, when a new set of technical regulations are to be introduced, Horner stressed it was his and the driver's intention, but was unable to be categoric. 'Look, the contracts between the drivers and the teams are always going to remain confidential,' he said. 'With any driver's contract, there is an element of a performance mechanism, and of course that exists within Max's contract. His intention is that he will be there and driving for us in 2026. It's inevitable that he's of huge interest to any other team in the pit lane. 'Actually, probably, George (Russell, Mercedes driver) triggered all this speculation, probably trying to leverage his own (contract) situation and force clarity, which you can understand because he's driven a very good season as well this year. 'But inevitably, there will always be speculation about it. I think the most important thing is the clarity that exists between Max and the team – and that's very clear.' Horner repeated that Verstappen's contract runs until 2028. 'He's made it quite clear that he would like to finish his career in a Red Bull car from start to finish,' he stressed. 'I think that's quite special and unique for him. That's what we're focused on. We're just ignoring the noise and focusing on the areas we know where we need to improve and how to do that.' Horner added that 2026 was sure to be a transformational year with no guarantees. 'It's the biggest rule change in F1 probably in the last 50 years, where both chassis and power unit are being introduced at the same time,' he said. 'Nobody, with hand on heart, can know what the pecking order is going to be. So there are no guarantees that jumping into a Mercedes car would automatically be a better proposition.' AFP
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Germany see off Poland in Women's Euro 2025 opener
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Poland midfielder Sylwia Matysik and Germany midfielder Klara Buehl fight for the ball during their Women's Euro Group C clash on July 4. ST GALLEN – Germany made a winning start to their Women's Euro 2025 campaign with a 2-0 win over Poland on July 4 which moved the eight-time continental champions top of Group C. Christian Wueck's side lead Sweden, 1-0 winners in a Scandinavian derby with Denmark, on goal difference after coming through a hard-fought group opener in St Gallen thanks to goals in the second half from Jule Brand and Lea Schueller. Germany are one of three big contenders for overall victory in Switzerland alongside world champions Spain and holders England. But the 'Frauenteam' were far from their best for most of the match, with Wueck frequently bellowing at his charges to up their game. And they lost captain Giulia Gwinn to what looked like a knee injury before half-time following a nasty fall in a challenge with Ewa Pajor. 'She's injured her knee and will undergo an MRI tomorrow, at which point we'll know what's happened,' said Wueck. 'It was a tough, hard-fought victory. Poland made it very, very difficult for us with their style of play... We're happy with the result and we know that we can do better.' Germany had won all six previous encounters with Poland but the game was even until Brand cut inside and unleashed an unstoppable shot six minutes after half-time. And Brand was on hand in the 66th minute with a perfect cross for Bayern Munich striker Schueller, who made sure of the points with a simple header. Germany have now won six matches on the bounce, scoring 26 goals in that run, but looked some way below the standard shown by tournament favourites Spain on July 3 when they thrashed Portugal 5-0. Poland acquitted themselves admirably in their European Championship debut but Barcelona's Pajor, who has scored 51 goals for club and country this season, was uncharacteristically wasteful with her finishing. In the other match, Filippa Angeldahl scored Sweden's winner in the 55th minute in Geneva after exchanging passes with Kosovare Asllani and firing into the far corner. Sweden should have doubled their lead 10 minutes later when Madelen Janogy headed Hanna Lundkvist's pinpoint cross narrowly wide, while moments before Stina Blackstenius was denied by Frederikke Thogersen's brilliant goalline clearance. 'It was an enormous sense of joy and relief. There are so many nerves when you start a tournament that it was a wonderful feeling to score that goal,' Angeldahl told reporters. Peter Gerhardsson's team are now unbeaten in 13 games after a second straight win over the Danes, with Sweden running out emphatic 6-1 winners in the Nations League last month. The Swedes kept a tight handle on Denmark's skipper Pernille Harder, although she did smash an effort off the crossbar with nine minutes remaining. The Bayern Munich forward was also involved when VAR decided not to award a penalty to Denmark in the opening minutes for a potential handball by Madelen Janogy. AFP
