He is not playing the second Test at Edgbaston.
In the past week, no cricket discussion, be it in expert panels or fans’ chat rooms, must have escaped the mention of one phrase: workload management. The impact Jasprit Bumrah has had on world cricket, with his wicket-taking presence, is massive. And so has his absence from India’s ongoing second Test against England at Edgbaston. Bumrah is undoubtedly one of the best pacers India has ever produced. He has made key contributions by nailing yorkers as well as controlling the flow of runs. His name alone threatens the best of batters. But the current scheme of things has sparked multiple conversations among former cricketers, including Australia women’s Alyssa Healy.
While most discussions have swung to extremes, some even suggesting that Bumrah should’ve played the ongoing Edgbaston Test, Healy has sympathised with the bowler. In other words, she has also criticised India’s overdependence on a single player.
“I find that sad that that’s what we talk about,” said Healy on the Willow Talk podcast.
Refreshing our memory, despite the batters making five centuries, India lost the first Test due to a weak bowling show on the last day in Leeds. England chased 371 on the last day with ease while the Indian bowling line-up managed to take only five wickets. While the 31-year-old pacer took a fifer in the first innings, he went wicketless in the second. Critics slammed Gill’s captaincy for not handing the new ball to Bumrah while the rest of the pace battery looked out of colour.
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The glorified responsibilities on Bumrah, leading to an over-reliance on the Ahmedabad pacer, must have further led to weakened confidence of the other bowlers, including Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, and Prasidh Krishna. While Bumrah may be a national treasure, Healy questioned if that’s the right approach and the only way the nation can win matches.
“We feel like that’s the only way India are going to win the game and I feel that is a really sad way to look at it because they had five hundreds in that game, one guy got a fifer. England had one guy make a hundred and a couple of partnerships won the game. England won because the team played well, India individually played really well,” said Healy.
After winning the Headingley Test, England hold a 1-0 lead in the five-match Test series.
After losing the toss and being put to bat first by Ben Stokes, Shubman Gill announced the rejigs in the playing XI for the ongoing Test in Birmingham. While the hosts came into this fixture unchanged, the visitors made three harsh changes. Akash Deep has taken Bumrah’s place in the pace attack.
Additionally, Shardul has missed out as Washington Sundar, a bowling all-rounder, is added to the mix. Sai Sudharsan is snubbed after playing in only his debut Test match. The No.3 batter was replaced by Nitish Kumar Reddy.
Akash has scalped 15 wickets in seven Tests so far. He holds an average of 35.20 and an economy rate of 3.59.
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