Leeds [UK], June 25 : Despite India’s five-wicket defeat to England in the 1st Test at Headingley, head coach Gautam Gambhir has reaffirmed that Jasprit Bumrah will be limited to playing only three Tests in the ongoing five-match series as part of his workload management plan.
Bumrah, who was instrumental in the first innings with figures of 5/83, equalling Kapil Dev’s record of 12 five-wicket hauls away from home, failed to make an impact in the second innings, going wicketless as England chased down 371 to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
⚠️ Bumrah’s Workload Non-Negotiable
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar had earlier confirmed that Bumrah was advised against playing back-to-back Tests following a stress reaction in the back sustained during the fifth Test against Australia in January.
Speaking after the match, Gambhir stood firm on the plan:
“No, we won’t change the plans. Managing his workload is more important because there’s a lot of cricket going forward. Before the tour, it was already decided that he would play three Tests. We haven’t decided which two other Tests he will feature in,” Gambhir told reporters.
⚡ India’s Bowling Under Pressure
India struggled to contain England in the second innings, despite early promise. With Bumrah off-color and support bowlers Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, and Prasidh Krishna proving expensive or inconsistent, the pressure mounted.
Thakur and Prasidh did offer brief resistance with two wickets apiece, but the game was already slipping away. A series of dropped catches—particularly by Yashasvi Jaiswal—further dented India’s chances.
🔄 Rotation Strategy Going Forward
With Bumrah set to sit out two of the remaining four Tests, India will look to rotate among pacers Arshdeep Singh, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna.
Gambhir expressed full confidence in the group:
“We absolutely have the bowling attack. We believe in them. We trust in them. These are inexperienced bowlers, but they will keep getting better,” he said.
“Even in this Test, we were in a position to win for four and a half days. So we trust these boys to deliver.”
As the series shifts to the second Test, India’s bowling depth and how they cope without their pace spearhead will be key to levelling the contest.