Bumrah didn't play the second Test at Edgbaston
The conversation about India’s playing XI rages on every time a match is lost, no matter the format or the conditions. As they began the Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy with a loss, pundits were demanding to include the Indian pace spearhead in the playing XI in Headingley.
But there were doubts over his fitness, which have been there even before the series began as India were coming off a three-month long Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 in which Bumrah featured in 12 matches and bowled close to 30 overs.
MAL
152/5
HKG
151/9
SGP
136/8
SAM
84/10
Singapore beat Samoa by 52 runs
SGP
–
MAL
–
HKG
–
SAM
–
BHN
105/2
RWA
102/10
Bahrain beat Rwanda by 8 wickets
BHN
–
ML
–
ML
–
RWA
–
BWUW
–
WWW
–
BWUW
–
DMW
–
WWW
–
DMW
–
BWUW
–
WWW
–
BWUW
–
DMW
–
SCK
173/7
DBS
201/3
Dusseldorf Blackcaps beat SC Krefeld Spartans by 28 runs
VBG
195/3
BBS
100/9
VfB Gelsenkirchen beat Bonn Blue Star by 95 runs
BBS
129/7
DBS
179/6
Dusseldorf Blackcaps beat Bonn Blue Star by 50 runs
VBG
169/3
DBS
134/5
VfB Gelsenkirchen beat Dusseldorf Blackcaps by 35 runs
NVR
91/10
NAJC
145/6
Nabajyoti Club beat Navarang Club by 54 runs
GTC
121/9
CCC
156/10
City Cricket Club beat Gauhati Town Club by 35 runs
91YC
–
CCC
–
BCC
–
NAJC
–
GAW
–
RR
–
ENG-W
–
IND-W
–
CHK
133/10
CEC-A
134/6
CECC beat Chennai Kings CA by 4 wickets
MECS
–
BNC
–
STCC
–
TCC
–
GCF
97/8
MIB
110/5
Miami Blaze beat Grand Cayman Falcons by 13 runs
FLI
99/4
CBS
138/5
Cayman Bay Stingrays beat Florida Lions by 39 runs
CAT
–
BRT
100/4
VEV
–
CBS
–
CAT
–
FLI
–
VEV
–
MIB
–
CAT
–
GCF
–
VEV
–
FLI
–
CBS
–
BRT
–
GCF
–
FLI
–
UGA
180/4
NIG
85/5
Uganda beat Nigeria by 77 runs (D/L) method
UAE
161/7
KNY
121/10
United Arab Emirates beat Kenya by 40 runs
NIG
–
NBA
–
UAE
–
UGA
–
YAR
204/5
KAK
149/8
Yanam Royals beat Karaikal Kniights by 55 runs
MMS
–
YAR
–
OAW
–
VMK
–
ASS
–
BDS
–
MAK
–
SGT
–
KENT
102/1
ESS
172/6
GLAM
184/9
MID
63/3
DER
–
BB
–
SUSS
69/1
SURR
204/5
SOM
164/7
GLO
66/4
LEI
185/10
YOR
54/4
DURH
89/0
NOR
203/5
NOT
73/4
LAN
126/10
LAN-W
114/7
SOM-W
114/6
ESS-W
164/3
DUR-W
1/0
SUR-W
163/4
BRB-W
–
HAM-W
–
TBLZ-W
115/1
EDC
108/2
PNC
160/9
WIC
–
SAC
–
EDC
–
AAC
–
ZIM
120/7
NZ
122/2
New Zealand beat Zimbabwe by 8 wickets
He bowled only a few overs on the final day of the first Test which raised concerns over his fitness and even though he took part in the net sessions, bowling at full tilt, India went with Akash Deep, who claimed a 10-wicket haul in the match to set up a massive victory.
He was back in the playing XI for the third Test at Lord’s and got his second five-wicket haul in the series and played a valiant 54-ball knock for 4 runs in the second innings when India’s top and middle-order collapsed in a heap.
ALSO READ:
While many have suggested that Bumrah must play the Manchester Test as the series is on the line, India’s assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate felt that the management is tempted to play him due to the must-win nature of the next Test.
“We will still make that call in Manchester, as we know we’ve got him for one of the last two Tests. It’s pretty obvious the series is on the line now in Manchester, so there will be a leaning towards playing him. But again, we have got to look at all the factors – how many days of cricket are we going to get up there? What do we feel is our best chance of winning that game?” the former Dutch all-rounder told reporters.
Doeschate also provided an update on left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh’s injury which he suffered during a net session on Thursday.
“We have to see how bad the cut is. Obviously, the medical team have taken him off to see a doctor and obviously if he needs stitches or doesn’t need stitches that’s going to be important to our planning for the next few days,” Doeschate said.
India are also stuck in a dilemma to drop Karun Nair who has suffered with poor form, batting at No.3 with former opener Deep Dasgupta suggesting that the visitors should pick Sai Sudharsan in the playing XI.
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Telegram, and YouTube.
Hong Kong beat Malaysia by 5 wickets