Former India head coach Ravi Shastri did not mince his words while speaking about Jasprit Bumrah’s exclusion from the team’s playing XI for the second Test at Edgbaston. Shastri, who was on commentary duty, said it was baffling to leave out India’s premier fast-bowler after a week’s rest, especially with the series on the line.
India’s decision to bench Bumrah for the Edgbaston Test has raised eyebrows, particularly after the visitors were outplayed in the first Test in Leeds, especially because of their poor bowling. As confirmed by the team management, Bumrah will play only three Tests on the tour with India looking at the bigger picture of a five-match series.
In his absence, India has included Akash Deep. Captain Shubman Gill said the team was looking to lengthen its batting and manage Jasprit Bumrah’s workload sensibly. However, with India already trailing 0-1, many feel that leaving out their best bowler in such a crucial fixture could be a costly call.
Ravi Shastri Slams Jasprit Bumrah’s Edgbaston Omission as "Hard to Believe"
Shastri, speaking during the broadcast on Day 1 of the Edgbaston Test, opined that Bumrah should not be picking which matches to play and this decision should be made by captain Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir. He insisted that this was a game where India needed to bounce back.
"This is a very important match, they’ve had a week off. I’m little surprised Bumrah is not playing this game. It should be taken out of the player’s hand. It should be the captain and the head coach that should decide who should be playing the 11. This is an important game in the context of the series, he should be playing this game more than anything else. Lord’s can come later. This is the important game where you have to counter-punch almost straightaway," Shastri said as quoted on Sky Cricket
"Play this one. Make it 1-1 and then give him the option: you want to rest at Lord’s, rest at Lord’s. You think he’ll rest at Lord’s? No chance if you win this," he added.
Shastri also pointed to India’s recent Test record. Under Gambhir's coaching, India have lost seven Test matches. They have managed to win only three games, including two matches against Bangladesh. One fixture ended in a draw.
"If you look at the run, India has had, this becomes a very, very important test match. You’ve lost three against New Zealand, you’ve lost three against Australia. You’ve lost the first Test match here and you want to get back to winning ways. You have the best fast bowler in the world, and you make him sit out after seven days of rest, it’s something very hard to believe," Shastri asserted.
Shubman Gill Justifies Jasprit Bumrah’s Workload Management Plan
At the toss, Gill addressed the decision to rest Bumrah. Speaking to former England captain Michael Atherton, Gill stated that the team felt Bumrah’s skillset would be better suited for the conditions expected at Lord’s in the third Test.
"Just to manage his workload. We did get a good break and this is an important match for us. But the third Test being at Lord’s, we think there’ll be more in that pitch so we’ll use him there," Gill said as quoted at the toss.
Meanwhile, India made three changes to their playing XI. While Bumrah was replaced by Akash Deep, Shardul Thakur and Sai Sudharsan made way for Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar respectively. Notably, England won the toss and opted to bowl first.
