&w=3840&q=100)
Jasprit Bumrah Out? India's options for 2nd England Test explained
With just days to go before the second Test in Birmingham, the team may face an even tougher challenge, playing without their premier fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah.
Shashwat Nishant New Delhi
India's Test series against England has started with a bitter pill to swallow. After dominating large portions of the Headingley Test, the visitors ended up on the losing side, unable to defend a steep 371-run target.
Now, with just days to go before the second Test in Birmingham, the team may face an even tougher challenge, playing without their premier fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah. With Bumrah reportedly being rested due to workload management after bowling 44 demanding overs at Headingley, the focus now shifts to who can fill the massive void in India's pace arsenal.
Arshdeep Singh is perhaps the most promising candidate to replace Bumrah. While he is yet to make a significant mark in red-ball cricket at the international level, his left-arm angle, combined with his ability to swing the ball both ways, offers a much-needed variation. With overcast English conditions potentially favoring swing, Arshdeep's style could trouble England's aggressive openers, especially early in the innings.
Akash Deep has impressed with his ability to maintain a probing line and extract movement off the seam. He may lack the raw pace of Bumrah, but what he brings is discipline, something India sorely missed in Headingley's final innings. With conditions at Edgbaston likely to assist bowlers who stay full and target the stumps, Akash Deep's methodical approach could prove effective.
Harshit Rana: Raw pace and bounce
If India wants to counter England's Bazball approach with pace and aggression, Harshit Rana could be a bold pick. Although inexperienced, Rana has the ability to generate bounce and bowl quick. His selection would be a gamble, but one that could pay off if the pitch at Edgbaston offers bounce and carry.
Can Siraj Lead Without Bumrah?
With Bumrah likely out, Mohammed Siraj will be expected to lead the pace attack. However, Siraj's struggles with consistency in England — often relying on back-of-length deliveries, raise concerns. For India to compete, Siraj must adopt a fuller length and mature quickly into a strike bowler and leader, both tactically and mentally.
India's selection for the second Test will be as much about form as it is about character. Replacing Bumrah is no easy task, but if one of the young quicks can step up, the series may still tilt India's way. India squad for England tour: Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Karun Nair, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
41 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Mohammed Shami's no-nonsense message to Prasidh, Siraj after Jasprit Bumrah overburdened in 1st Test: 'Saath dena hoga'
Out-of-favour pacer Mohammed Shami has sent a clear message to Indian bowlers to give support to Jasprit Bumrah following India's 5-wicket defeat in Leeds. Shami, who was dropped from the Test team for the five-match tour in England, asserted that India need to up the ante in the bowling department as the other bowlers didn't give enough support to Bumrah in the opening match. Jasprit Bumrah claimed a fifer in first innings of Leeds Test.(@BCCI X) Bumrah was right on the money and claimed a five-wicket haul in the first innings, while the English batters were watchful while facing him in second innings and he ended up wicketless. However, in both innings, other bowlers failed to put enough pressure on the hosts and as a result India failed to defend 371-run target and now trailing in the series. Shami, who has been left out of the squad, said that the bowling unit needs to talk to Bumrah, rework their plans, and try to give maximum support to the number one-ranked Test bowler. "In bowling, other Indian bowlers should talk to Bumrah and learn from him. They should talk about planning with him and support him. If they will support Bumrah, then we can easily win the match. If I talk about the first match, then I think we need to do a little work in the bowling," Shami said on his YouTube channel. Also Read | Pathum Nissanka enters 'best all-format opener' debate after back-to-back Test tons, fans claim rivalry with Ben Duckett The veteran pacer acknowledged the efforts of Prasidh Krishna and Shardul Thakur, who claimed two wickets each on Day 5, but emphasised that by the time Thakur made his impact, the match had already drifted beyond India's grasp. "Shardul Thakur and Prasidh Krishna picked up two wickets each in the 2nd innings, but by the time Shardul dismissed two England batters, the match was out of India's reach," he added. Also Read | KL Rahul's commitment to choosing 'country over his child' gets exuberant praise: 'He said, I want to go England early' 'Important to support Bumrah' The 34-year-old said that India's batting is at par with England, which they proved in the opening Test, but the bowlers need to support Bumrah to win matches. "Everyone says that batting in England is difficult, but our batters are doing fine, and we need to think more about bowling and fielding. Bumrah ka saath dena hoga. It is very important to take wickets with the new ball. Bhut zaruri hai ki Bumrah ka koi saath de. England won the first Test because we gave too many easy runs. We need to find out how to make our bowling side strong." he added.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Jofra walks in even as Bumrah thinks about a rest
Mumbai: Three years ago in the IPL, it came ever so close for Jasprit Bumrah and Jofra Archer to be paired together by Mumbai Indians as the most attractive fast bowling tag team to watch; most feared, if you were an opposing batter. As fate would have it, the pairing never came to pass. Blame it on their injury-prone bodies. Pacer Jofra Archer returns to the England Test squad after an absence of over four years. (AFP) With England naming Archer in their squad for the second Test at Edgbaston on Thursday, but Bumrah likely to rest, there is a strong possibility that two premier pacers might just give each other the miss the hope is that it will happen at some point. With the Indian batting side lacking some star power, the Boom and Jofra show could further spice up the five-Test series that got off to a spectacular start with the hosts taking the lead through a fast-paced fourth innings run-chase on the fifth day at Leeds. Archer and Bumrah have played some IPL cricket in opposing jerseys but the two have faced off only twice before in Test cricket. That was back in 2021 in the spin friendly conditions of Chennai and Ahmedabad. To see the two pacers, both capable of extracting steep bounce or delivering toe-crushing yorkers from misleading short run ups, can be an uplifting experience. Just to see them go all out in front of packed houses in England could infuse fresh life into a format that needs all the help it can get. For the two proud bowlers, it's an opportunity to showcase their wider range of skills. Both are familiar with the quirks of the Dukes ball – more seam than swing to begin with, followed by a window to move it in the air until the ball goes soft, the art of extracting movement with the changing weather patterns. Archer's inclusion will certainly test the Indian batting more, but it may also get Bumrah's competitive juices flowing, energizing him further. Bumrah may rest in Edgbaston However, fans may have to wait a little longer for the duo's much-awaited confrontation, till at least the third Test at Lord's. Unless the Indian team management is selling everyone a dummy, the pre-series plan, one understands, was for Bumrah to play alternate Test matches. The Indian speedster who dropped out of the captainship race well before the series to manage his workload is known to have had discussions with the team management for him to play at Lord's. It's unlikely, in any case, that Bumrah would play both the second and third Test with limited turnaround time. Besides, the Indian think tank may want Bumrah's experience to deal with the pronounced slope at Lord's. While Bumrah is having to pick and choose matches after his latest round of back trouble during the Sydney Test in January, he's still risen to become the best fast bowler of his time. Archer's troubles with injuries - some freak, others more serious - have meant his Test career has been limited to 13 matches over six years. He's had a back stress fracture, a troubling elbow issue, and more recently a cut with a kitchen knife to go with a previous glass cut from a broken fish tank. 'I'm glad to just finish a day of four-day cricket,' he told Sussex Cricket last Sunday when he turned up for the county to trial his red ball workload. 'Last time I played (2021), I just made it to tea, so I'm glad to go all the way. 'When the scoreboard got to 50 overs, I was, like, 'Jesus, time to come off now! But it wasn't too bad. Doing it session-by-session was okay.' Experts like former England captain Michael Vaughan have therefore cautioned that Archer should play another county match to be sure he can cope with the intensity of Test cricket on return. Bowling heft Both Archer and Bumrah's presence gives their respective bowling attacks much respectability. Even the home side's pacers were not all that threatening in the series opener at Leeds with Ben Stokes the pick of the lot, through his short bursts. Chris Woakes got only one wicket, Josh Tongue mostly accounted for Indian tailenders by bowling straight and Brydon Carse didn't look particularly threatening on the batting friendly surface. If this continues to be England's template to lay India low with pitches lacking life, they could do with Archer's inspired spells. Bumrah was India's best bowler on show in the first innings at Leeds. He had a rare wicket-less outing in the second innings but still showed the bowling discipline that was clearly lacking in the rest of India's pacers. When Bumrah is playing, India seems to come into the contest. Having the wood over Joe Root, throwing punches against their prolific openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett are reasons enough to challenge the home side. In the two Test matches Bumrah would miss in the series, India would have to identify alternatives. Whether they seek Akash Deep's control or Arshdeep Singh's different angle, it's most likely they will introduce Kuldeep Yadav's mystery to give England something to think about.
India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
Report: Jasprit Bumrah Doubtful For Second Test Against England, Know Who Can Replace India's Pace Ace?
Team India suffefer a major blow ahead of the second Test against England at Edgbaston, starting July 2. As per a report by The Indian Express, ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah is expected to be rested due to workload management. He is anticipated to return for the third Test at Lord's, beginning July 10. Bumrah's absence, particularly after a taxing outing at leeds presents a tough challenge for the Indian team management as they look for a fitting replacement for their pace leader. The Team management along with captain Shubman Gill made it clear that it was already decided before the series that Bumrah will play any three of the fives tests as India doesn't want to repeat the mistake they did during Border Gavaskar Trophy, where Bumrah was overused resulting in his injury that went on till IPL. The pacer had to miss the prestigious ICC Champions Trophy 2025 which India won eventually. Bumrah Set to Sit Out Second Test Bumrah, widely considered India's most crucial asset in this series, bowled a mammoth 44 overs in the first Test at Headingley. Despite his valiant effort, the Indian bowling unit struggled as a whole, particularly with their line and consistency, eventually failing to defend a sizeable target of 371 on the final day. This has now led to questions about how the team will manage without Bumrah in the XI. 'If the team was unable to claim ten wickets even with Bumrah in the side, doing so without him becomes an even steeper challenge,' notes the report. Replacement Options: Arshdeep Singh or Akash Deep? In Bumrah's absence, either Arshdeep Singh or Akash Deep could be drafted into the playing XI to join the pace battery comprising Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Shardul Thakur. Bumrah was India's standout bowler in the previous match, finishing with figures of 5/140 across 43.4 overs at a commendable economy of 3.20. In contrast, the trio of Siraj, Thakur, and Krishna combined to take 9 wickets for 482 runs in 92 overs- highlighting Bumrah's significant influence. Arshdeep Singh presents a compelling case for selection. Although relatively new to red-ball cricket at the international level, his left-arm angle and ability to swing the ball both ways bring a fresh dimension to India's bowling attack. Given England's swing-friendly conditions, Arshdeep could trouble the home side's aggressive top order, especially early in the innings. Akash Deep is another strong contender. Known for maintaining a consistent line and exploiting seam movement, Akash brings discipline, a trait India sorely lacked during the Headingley Test's final innings. While he may not match Bumrah's express pace, his methodical approach and tendency to pitch the ball up could be well-suited to Edgbaston's bowler-friendly conditions.
