In the second Test match between India and England going on at Edgbaston, a decision was taken which surprised everyone. In which the Indian team left out the world’s number one fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah.
After the defeat in Leeds in the first Test, India made three changes in their playing XI, but giving rest to Bumrah was surprising for everyone.
Former Australia captain Aaron Finch and former India coach Ravi Shastri have expressed strong displeasure over this decision.
England defeated India by 5 wickets in Leeds to take a 1-0 lead in the series. After this, India gave a chance to Akash Deep in place of Bumrah, while Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar were included in place of Sai Sudarshan and Shardul Thakur.
Indian captain Shubman Gill said that this decision was taken to manage Bumrah’s workload, as the next Test is at Lord’s, where the wicket can be helpful for fast bowlers. But this decision created a stir in the cricket world.
India’s strategy in front of Bazball in 2nd Test vs England
England’s aggressive “Bazball” strategy put India on the backfoot in the first Test. Batsmen like Ben Duckett and Ben Stokes thrashed the Indian bowlers.
In such a situation, Finch raised the question that if it is necessary to take 20 wickets, then why was a game-changer like Bumrah kept out?
Finch wrote on X, “If Bumrah was fit to play then surely you need to pick the best bowler in the world? At the very least Kuldeep has the be in the XI if you’re worried about taking 20 wickets. Yes, he might be more expensive but he’s the next best attacking option!”
Ravi Shastri also expressed his anger on Sky Cricket and said,
“This is a very important match. Keeping Bumrah out is incomprehensible. There is a chance to make the series 1-1, and you keep your best bowler on the bench?”
“You have the best fast bowler in the world, and you make him sit out after seven days of rest,” he added
What is India’s plan?
Gill said that the team made these changes to bring depth in batting. India has adopted a defensive strategy by including all-rounders like Washington Sundar and Nitish Reddy.
But the question is whether this strategy will be able to stop England’s aggressive play? The Edgbaston pitch is suitable for batting, and England won the toss and chose to field first.
India will now expect big innings from batsmen like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill.
At present, Bumrah’s absence can be risky for India. If India loses this Test, it will be difficult to make a comeback in the series.
