Jasprit Bumrah Unlikely to Feature in Edgbaston Test, Final Decision Pending

India’s premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is unlikely to play in the second Test against England at Edgbaston starting July 2, although a final decision has yet to be made. According to reports from ESPNcricinfo, while Bumrah has not been officially ruled out, his participation remains doubtful due to workload management and past injury concerns.

Bumrah, who played a central role in the first Test at Leeds with a five-wicket haul in the first innings, bowled nearly 44 overs across the match. With India choosing to manage his workload carefully, team management had reportedly earmarked only three of the five Tests in the ongoing series for his participation, though the specific matches were never publicly confirmed.

Following the team’s travel from Leeds, India resumed training on Friday with a closed-door session that lasted nearly five hours. Bumrah was present at the venue but notably did not participate in bowling or batting activities. Whether he engaged in fitness drills or individual sessions behind closed doors remains unknown, though his limited involvement signals caution.

Sources suggest the pre-planned usage could see Bumrah play the first and third Tests, with his availability for the fourth or fifth Tests to be determined based on the series progression. The generous scheduling—gaps of seven to eight days between matches—has allowed India to be strategic with managing player fitness across the tour.

The Indian camp will have an optional training session on Saturday, followed by a full session on Monday before making a final call on the playing XI.

In the absence of Bumrah, left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh and pacer Akash Deep are being closely observed as potential replacements. Both bowlers bowled lengthy spells in the nets on Friday. Arshdeep, in particular, worked extensively with the old ball, operating around the wicket to right-handers—suggesting India might be factoring in reverse swing as a tactical element in Birmingham conditions.

Despite the setback at Headingley, where India lost the opening Test despite strong individual performances, the mood in the camp remains positive. The team’s focus is reportedly on maintaining their playing style while reacting better in pressure situations, rather than overhauling strategy.

A final decision on Bumrah’s participation is expected in the next couple of days, depending on his physical condition and training workload.

India’s Test squad for England series: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.