The Indian cricket team is gearing up for the second Test against England at Edgbaston, with some significant changes expected in the playing XI. Head Coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill are at the center of these changes.

Jasprit Bumrah, India's pace spearhead, is likely to be rested for the second Test as part of workload management. According to reports, 28-year-old right-arm seamer Akash Deep is set to replace Bumrah in the playing XI. Akash Deep featured heavily during India's training session on Monday, two days ahead of the second Test. Akash Deep has played in seven previous Tests for India, with his most recent appearance being in the Boxing Day Test against Australia in December 2024. To date, he has taken 15 Test wickets.

Alongside Akash Deep, pacers Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna, who both played in the first Test, were also heavily involved in practice. Left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh, on the other hand, reportedly had less involvement and is likely to miss out on the playing XI.

Gautam Gambhir reportedly had a long discussion with Jasprit Bumrah two days before the second Test at Edgbaston. Despite India's defeat in the first Test, Gambhir has decided to rest Bumrah, who took the first five-wicket haul of the series.

Earlier this year, Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 due to a lower back injury and was replaced by Harshit Rana in the squad. Ricky Ponting had nominated Arshdeep Singh as the pacer who should get the first opportunity to replace Bumrah for the Champions Trophy.

Shubman Gill was named as India's new Test captain last month, following the Test retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Gill acknowledged the difficulty of filling the space left by these experienced players. Gambhir has urged critics to give Shubman Gill time to prove himself as India's Test captain. Gambhir praised Gill's leadership and highlighted his first-innings century under pressure in the first test.

India lost the first Test against England at Headingley. Despite dominating most of the sessions, England's batting prowess led them to victory. There are concerns about India's team combination, and they have lost their last three overseas Test matches. Former wicketkeeper-batter Deep Dasgupta has advised Gautam Gambhir and the team management to get the combination right.