‘England will be very, very happy if Jasprit Bumrah plays only three Tests': Ian Bell
'I'd be amazed if he (Bumrah) only plays three Tests this summer,' Bell is quoted as saying by PTI. 'He's the best fast bowler in the world, and if he doesn't play, England will be very, very happy.'
India head coach Gautam Gambhir had said before the series that managing Bumrah's workload is important. However, there have been growing worries about how poorly India will fare without the 31-year-old in the squad considering the huge gap in quality between him and the rest of the pacers. Bumrah boasted an economy of 3.36 in 24.4 overs in the first England innings of the first Test, in which he also took five wickets.
Mohammed Siraj went at 4.51 in 27 overs while Prasidh Krishna had an aeconomy of 6.40m in 20. Shardul Thakur had bowled just six overs. It wasn't much better in the second, with Siraj doing a slightly better job of keeping up with Bumrah. 'Of course, you want to protect him (Bumrah), but if the series is on the line and he's fit, he has to play,' said Bell.
Bell, who scored 7727 runs for England in 118 Tests with 22 centuries and 46 half-centuries, also said that Kuldeep Yadav will cause a lot of problems for the host batters at Edgbaston if he plays in the second Test, particularly their lower order. 'It (wicket) won't turn early, but by day four or five, it could take spin,' Bell said.
He believes this makes a strong case for Kuldeep's inclusion. 'Kuldeep is bowling beautifully. Someone who can spin it both ways is always a threat – especially to England's lower order.' Bell added that India should consider the wrist-spinner as an 'attacking option to fight fire with fire.'
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Business Standard
21 minutes ago
- Business Standard
England vs India Playing 11 LIVE UPDATES, 2nd Test: Arshdeep or Akash - who will replace Bumrah?
New Delhi As Shubman Gill's Team India prepare to take on England in the second Test at Edgbaston, Birmingham, the spotlight is firmly on selection decisions, workload management, and potential history-makers. Trailing 0-1 in the five-match series after failing to defend 371 in Leeds—despite five centuries, including two by Rishabh Pant—India must now make bold, tactical choices to stay alive in the series. Bumrah available, but workload under scrutiny India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah bowled nearly 44 overs in Leeds, raising questions about his inclusion in the second Test. However, captain Shubman Gill confirmed in the pre-match press conference that Bumrah is available for selection. 'We are trying to manage his workload. We'll take a final call after assessing the conditions. We want a combination that can take 20 wickets and score enough runs,' Gill said. He also revealed that the team had anticipated Bumrah playing only three of the five Tests and had pre-planned multiple combinations accordingly. Two spinners in England? Not ruled out India are seriously considering a two-spinner strategy, with either Kuldeep Yadav or Washington Sundar partnering Ravindra Jadeja. Edgbaston's unpredictable weather and the presence of wear patches in the pitch have prompted the rethink. 'It's not common to play two spinners in England, but the surface might demand it. In Leeds, we felt we were creating chances when Jadeja bowled. If the pitch behaves similarly, a second spinner could help contain runs until the second new ball,' Gill noted. Kuldeep, who has never bowled to England's aggressive Bazball approach, could be India's wildcard. Despite going wicketless in his only Test in England (2018), he has a strong recent record—21 wickets in six Tests at home against England in 2024 at an average of 22.28. 11:44 AM 2nd Test | ENG vs IND Playing 11 LIVE UPDATES: Ashwin on India's Playing 11 Ravichandran Ashwin responded with cautious agreement, saying, 'I somewhat agree, but I'm not in favour of making too many changes. I'm fine with either Akash Deep or Arshdeep replacing Jasprit Bumrah if he's unavailable.' Speaking about Nitish Reddy's selection prospects, Ashwin noted, 'I know for certain that this team management holds Nitish Reddy in high regard.' He also offered his perspective on English conditions, remarking, 'England is a tough place for spinners. The pitch tends to settle after an hour and then gradually slows down as the match progresses.' Ashwin ended with a word of caution for fans who place too much weight on IPL form: 'It makes you wonder if we, in India, overemphasise IPL performances. Don't get me wrong—I believe Sai is going to be a superstar.' 11:07 AM 2nd Test | ENG vs IND Playing 11 LIVE UPDATES: India's predicted playing 11 by Ashwin Former India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has emphasised that Kuldeep Yadav must be part of the playing XI if India hopes to win at least two Tests in the ongoing series against England. He also cast doubt on the intent of team mentor Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill when it comes to prioritising the need to take 20 wickets—a non-negotiable element in winning a Test match. 'There's a genuine question surrounding Gambhir and Gill's commitment to taking 20 wickets. This Test will reveal that. If they truly mean business, Kuldeep has to be included,' Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. 10:23 AM 2nd Test | ENG vs IND Playing 11 LIVE UPDATES: What team winning the toss should do? The Indian team's choice to field a personnel will largely depend on how the wicket has played in the past. Here's what we know about Edgbaston pitch: In the series opener in Leeds, the chasing team extended a remarkable trend by winning a seventh consecutive Test at the venue. The action now moves to Edgbaston, another ground known to favour teams bowling first. In fact, the side batting second has won each of the last four Tests here, including England's record chase against India in 2022. 10:08 AM 2nd Test | ENG vs IND Playing 11 LIVE UPDATES: What could be India's XI today? All eyes are on India's playing XI as the management has announced their line-up like the hosts, England. This puts forward a big question: will Jasprit Bumrah find a place in India's XI, given his workload management is a top concern? What if Bumrah is rested for today's match? In that case, the ideal replacement for Bumrah would be Akash Deep, who impressed with his nagging line and length in Australia despite going wicketless. Kuldeep or Sundar in place of Shardul? It seems Shardul Thakur is set to be dropped for the second Test after his below-par performance in India's playing XI. While assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate and captain Shubman Gill have hinted at playing two spinners, Kuldeep is seen as the ideal wicket-taking option to replace Shardul Thakur. However, the management appears to favour Sundar due to his batting prowess lower down the order. 9:53 AM 2nd Test | ENG vs IND Playing 11 LIVE UPDATES: Gill on picking two spinners in Playing 11 Shubman Gill, India Test Captain, has not ruled out the possibility of playing a second spinner at Birmingham. "It is not common to see two spinners in England. But the weather was not typical. It rained a lot and the sun was shining. In the last match also, if we had an extra spinner in the 4th inning, the game could have been better. There were some patches in the wicket which we could have exploited," he added. 9:38 AM 2nd Test | ENG vs IND Playing 11 LIVE UPDATES: Here's what Gill said on Bumrah's availability Speaking ahead of the match in the pre-match presser, Gill said about the team's 'Jassi Bhai', "Bumrah is definitely available to play. We are trying to find a way to manage his workload. And yes, we are trying to find the right combination where we can take 20 wickets and score runs as well on these kinds of wickets. We just thought we are going to have a final look today (on the wicket) once we come to the ground and see what kind of combination that we want to go with tomorrow." Gill also said that the team was aware of the fact that Bumrah would be playing only three games and had decided on several combinations. "So, you definitely do miss your best bowler if he is not playing. But I think we had that sorted before the series, who would be playing if he were not playing," he added.
Hindustan Times
36 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
'Needs of team more important than Jasprit Bumrah's wish': India star hit with bitter truth over likely 2nd Test absence
Jasprit Bumrah has received a stern message from former English cricketer Mark Butcher despite reports that he is getting rested for the second Test at Edgbaston, Birmingham. Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir and skipper Shubman Gill have already confirmed that Bumrah will play only three Tests in the series, and now, with four Tests left, the speculations are rife that he will miss the Edgbaston clash to manage workload. Jasprit Bumrah is expected to miss the second Test against England.(Action Images via Reuters) Bumrah starred with a five-wicket haul (5/83) in the first innings, showcasing his class with the ball. However, he couldn't replicate the impact in the second innings, finishing wicketless as England chased down the daunting 371-run target with remarkable ease. However, to manage his workload, the team management has to take the call on which three Tests Bumrah will play in this series. Former England cricketer Butcher feels that his priority when picking which match to play should be solely relying on the team's needs and not on his personal preference. 'Bumrah is going to be a huge talking point as to whether or not this is one of his three Test matches. I think it has to be, it absolutely has to be. Six day break after Headingley, 1-0 down, he plays. I know he wants to play at Lord's but the needs of the team and the series are more important than his wish to play a Test at Lord's,' Butcher told Wisden. Also Read | Shardul Thakur gets last-minute backing for 2nd Test, Gill told 'he is your guy to get wickets' in Bumrah's absence Skipper Shubman Gill said a decision on his lead pacer will be taken only after taking a look at the pitch. However, Gill said Bumrah is available for selection. 'Take your chances at the back-end': Butcher on Bumrah's workload management If Bumrah skips the second Test—given his pre-decided three-match workload—the pace attack is likely to be led by Mohammed Siraj, with Arshdeep Singh and Prasidh Krishna expected to form the rest of the seam trio. Meanwhile, Butcher stated that the priority should be to bounce back in the series first and then take a call on Bumrah to put a rest in the back end of the series. "And who knows, he might get through this one okay and be fine for Lord's, and then you take your chances at the back-end."
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First Post
an hour ago
- First Post
India's reported changes for Edgbaston Test: Bumrah to be replaced by this pacer; Sai Sudharsan set to be dropped
The second Test between India and England gets underway at Edgbaston, Birmingham on Wednesday. And following their disappointing five-wicket defeat at Headingley, the Shubman Gill-led visitors are likely to make several changes to the lineup. read more Jasprit Bumrah and B Sai Sudharsan are likely to sit out of the second Test against England at Edgbaston. Reuters/AP After an enthralling series opener in Leeds where the first Test between India and England boiled down to the final hour of the final day at Headingley, the two teams are set to lock horns once again, with the second Test set to get underway a few hours from now. While cricket fans will be hoping for another humdinger of a contest between the two giants of Test cricket at Birmingham's Edgbaston, which will be hosting the second of five Tests starting Wednesday, the Indian cricket team and their fans will be hoping to end up on the right side of the result this time. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Ahead of toss on the opening day of the second Test, we take a look at some of the team changes Shubman Gill is likely to announce at the toss: Bumrah out, Akash in Both Jasprit Bumrah as well as head coach Gautam Gambhir had already discussed the former's workload during the tour of England, wherein he would not be playing more than three Tests keeping his recent back injury in mind. Shubman Gill is reportedly set to name Akash Deep as Jasprit Bumrah's replacement in the second Test. Image: AFP Given the short turnaround between the second and third Tests at Edgbaston and Lord's respectively, Bumrah was reportedly rested for the second and is being kept fresh for the third. With Bumrah reportedly out, India were left with Akash Deep and Arshdeep Singh, the latter yet to make his Test debut, or play Kuldeep Yadav as the lone front-line spinner. According to a report on The Indian Express, Akash is set to be named as Bumrah's replacement for the second Test, meaning Arshdeep might have to wait a bit longer for his maiden Test cap. Thakur out, Reddy in This was a no-brainer for the Indian team after the events of the Headingley Test, where Thakur not only failed to make a meaningful contribution with the bat, he also leaked runs at over five an over in both innings and did not make an impact with the ball until his double strike in the afternoon session on the final day. Nitish Reddy was consistent with the bat in the tour of Australia, scoring a century in the fourth Test in Melbourne, and the team management will be hoping his presence lends more solidity to the lower middle order and prevents another batting collapse. And the Express report mentions he's set to be included in place of Thakur at Edgbaston, despite the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin coming to the latter's defence despite the defeat at Headingley. Sai Sudharsan out, Nair at No 3 This one might sound harsh for young Sai Sudharsan, but the young opener from Tamil Nadu is set to be dropped after making his debut at Headingley, where he was dismissed for a four-ball duck in the first innings before departing for 30 in the second. Karun Nair reportedly is set to move up the batting order after getting dismissed for 0 and 20 at Headingley. Image: Reuters The report, however, adds that it's Karun Nair who's set to move up the order to the position previously occupied by current skipper Shubman Gill – and Cheteshwar Pujara and Rahul Dravid before him. Nair's reported move frees up a slot in the middle order – where the team management is reportedly drafting in Washington Sundar. Which means India will have spin-bowling all-rounders Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja as well as Reddy between the top five and the tail-enders – which skipper Gill and coach Gambhir hopes translates to meaningful partnerships down the order. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
