India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah bowled for over 30 minutes during an optional nets session in Edgbaston, but his inclusion for the second Test remains undecided.
Edgbaston [UK], June 29 — In a significant development ahead of the second Test against England at Birmingham, Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah marked his return to action during an optional nets session, bowling for at least half an hour on Saturday. While fans and pundits welcomed Bumrah’s rhythm and intensity, the final call on his inclusion is still pending, according to ESPNCricinfo.
Before the start of the five-match series, the Indian team management had made it clear that Bumrah would feature in only three of the five Tests, in a bid to manage his workload. However, both skipper Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir have stayed tight-lipped about which specific matches the star pacer will play.
The decision on Bumrah’s participation in the second Test will hinge on how well he feels physically heading into the match. Notably, he did not bowl during the previous training session on Friday but went full tilt in the nets on Saturday, signaling improved fitness and confidence.
Saturday’s session also saw full attendance from the Indian squad, barring a few notable exceptions—centurions from the first Test at Leeds: Shubman Gill, vice-captain Rishabh Pant, and openers KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who were rested.
The training session focused heavily on batting practice for the bowlers, as India’s lower order had faltered in the Leeds Test. India suffered collapses in both innings, losing their last seven wickets for 41 runs in the first innings and six for 31 in the second, which proved costly in their five-wicket defeat. England successfully chased down a massive 371-run target, exposing India’s lower-order vulnerabilities once again.
This concern isn’t new. In their last two Test tours of England, India’s last four partnerships averaged just 19.11 in 2021 and 16.35 in 2018, underscoring a long-standing struggle that India hopes to fix at Edgbaston.
The team will take a scheduled rest day on Sunday, before returning for another training session on Monday. A light session is expected on Tuesday, with likely match-day pacers getting the day off to rest. Batters may show up for throwdowns and tactical work.
🧑🤝🧑 India’s Test Squad vs England:
Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.
As India heads into a crucial second Test, Jasprit Bumrah’s nets session provides a glimmer of hope for a team looking to bounce back. If declared fit, his inclusion could significantly bolster India’s bowling arsenal on a pitch historically friendly to seamers.