He bowled the most overs by Indian pacer in the Headingley Test.
The Indian cricket team started their preparations for the second Test against England in Edgbaston, Birmingham, a venue where India have not tasted a victory in the last 58 years. Team India hit nets for the first time since their Headingley Test defeat by five wickets. England have now taken 1-0 lead in the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.
All 18 members of India’s squad marked their presence at the ground. However, all three pacers who took part in the Headingley Test didn’t bowl in the nets. Krishna missed out on bowling and drill activities while the entire team enjoyed an intense training session. Mohammed Siraj spent a good amount of time in the nets, but not for bowling. Siraj played good 30-40 balls and focused on his defence. On the sidelines, head coach Gautam Gambhir was spotted having long chats with pacers Arshdeep Singh and Akash Deep.
The centurions of the first Test, skipper Shubman Gill, and vice-captain Rishabh Pant, looked determined in the nets. The rest of the squad also looked upbeat during the training.
In all likelihood, Bumrah will take part in only three Tests of the five-match series due to workload management. He has already played one now and bowled nearly 44 overs across two innings, the most among Indian pacers. Hence, India will have to use him effectively and smartly as all eyes are on his fitness. Despite being on the ground, him not taking part in any on-field activities, raised questions about his participation in the second Test.
In the post-match press conference, Gambhir confirmed that the team doesn’t want to take any risk with Bumrah. He also mentioned that Bumrah will be closely monitored and his participation will be evaluated game-by-game. With only four days separating the second and third Test at Lord’s, Bumrah might be rested for the Edgbaston game.
ALSO READ:
Bumrah was overused during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2025 (BGT). He bowled 151.2 in nine innings, the most Indian bowler in the series. The right-arm pacer sustained a back stress-related lower back injury during the Sydney Test. The injury kept him away from the game for nearly three months. He returned to competitive cricket midway through IPL 2025 and played 12 games for the Mumbai Indians (MI).
Bumrah was reportedly asked to captain India’s Test team after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s retirement in May. However, he turned down the offer made by the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee due to workload management. He confirmed the BCCI that he would play only three Tests out of the five.
India haven’t won a Test match at Edgbaston in the past 58 years. And going the Test without their premium pacer could be a suicide. In eight matches played at Edgbaston, India lost seven, while one Test resulted in a draw. However, it’s not the first time India have found themselves in such positions. They have always found ways to conquer the challenges, and it will be no different.
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Telegram, and YouTube.
