The question of whether Jasprit Bumrah will feature in the second Test against England is currently shrouded in uncertainty, with reports suggesting he might be rested as part of a pre-planned workload management strategy. The second Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy is scheduled to begin on July 2 in Edgbaston, Birmingham.
Several sources indicate that Bumrah is likely to sit out the Edgbaston Test, with workload management being the primary reason. After bowling 44 overs in the first Test at Headingley, there are concerns about managing his workload, especially considering his history of back injuries. It is expected that he will be back for the third Test at Lord's, which begins on July 10.
According to an Indian Express report, the team management is keen to preserve Bumrah for the remainder of the series, especially with the third Test at Lord's scheduled shortly after the second. This decision aligns with head coach Gautam Gambhir's pre-series comments about rotating Bumrah to ensure he doesn't play all five matches.
Bumrah's potential absence is a significant blow to the Indian team, particularly after losing the first Test. In the first Test, Bumrah took a five-wicket haul in the first innings, demonstrating his importance to the team. The other bowlers, including Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, and Shardul Thakur, struggled to maintain consistency and lacked the same impact.
Without Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj is expected to lead the pace attack. The team will need to address the concerns around their bowling attack. India's pacers need to focus on bowling full and targeting the stumps to take 20 English wickets. During the first Test, Prasidh Krishna and Shardul Thakur struggled with their line and length, which eased the pressure on the English batsmen.
While Jasprit Bumrah was present during a four-hour training session at Edgbaston, he did not bowl. This observation further supports the notion that he will likely miss the second Test.
If Bumrah is indeed rested, Arshdeep Singh is a potential replacement in the playing XI. The absence of both Jasprit Bumrah and Shardul Thakur could lead to the inclusion of Arshdeep Singh and Nitish Reddy in the team.