“They will keep getting better” Gambhir Puts Faith in India’s Inexperienced Pace Attack, Reaffirms Bumrah’s Three-Test Plan

India head coach Gautam Gambhir has confirmed that the team management will stay committed to its pre-decided plan of fielding Jasprit Bumrah in only three of the five Tests during the ongoing series against England, despite India’s five-wicket defeat in the Headingley opener. The move, aimed at long-term workload management, comes amid concerns over Bumrah’s fitness following a past back injury.

During the squad announcement for the England tour, chief selector Ajit Agarkar had already revealed that Bumrah was advised to avoid playing consecutive Tests due to a stress reaction sustained during the Sydney Test against Australia in January. Gambhir, addressing the media after the first Test loss, reiterated that the approach remains unchanged.

“No, we won’t change the plans,” Gambhir stated firmly. “Managing his workload is more important because there’s a lot of cricket ahead. We know what he brings to the table. It was already decided before the tour that he would play three Tests. We haven’t finalised which two more matches he will play, but that will depend on how his body responds.”

Bumrah made an immediate impact in the first innings at Headingley, picking up a superb 5/83—his 12th five-wicket haul in overseas Tests, equalling the great Kapil Dev. However, his influence waned in the second innings as he went wicketless while England chased down a record 371-run target to claim a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

India’s bowling attack came under scrutiny in the final innings, particularly in Bumrah’s absence of breakthroughs. While Prasidh Krishna and Shardul Thakur briefly reignited hopes with two wickets apiece, it was too late to reverse the tide. Dropped catches, coupled with a lack of sustained support at the other end, further compounded India’s struggles.

With Bumrah set to miss two of the next four Tests, Gambhir remains confident in the depth and potential of India’s pace resources. He highlighted the presence of emerging talents such as Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, and Krishna as reasons for optimism.

“We absolutely have the bowling attack. We believe in them. We trust in them,” Gambhir asserted. “These are inexperienced bowlers, yes, but they will keep getting better. When we pick a squad, it’s based on trust, not hope.”

Reflecting on the match as a whole, Gambhir noted that India had control for large portions of the contest and emphasized that the side had plenty of opportunities to win despite the eventual defeat. “Even on Day 5, we had chances to win. So we trust these boys to step up and deliver in the matches to come,” he concluded.