India’s skipper Shubman Gill has finally cleared the air about Jasprit Bumrah’s availability for the second Test against England, which starts Wednesday in Birmingham. Bumrah was India’s top bowler in the first Test and ever since then, fans have been buzzing with questions about whether he’ll play again so soon.
Shubman Gill Talks Jasprit Bumrah and Team Planning
Speaking before the match, Gill said that Bumrah is fit and ready, but a final decision will only be made after their practice session.
“Bumrah is surely available. We have to look into this workload management. We have to look into the final combination today at the nets,” Gill told reporters on Tuesday.
He also said the team already had a clear plan about how many matches Bumrah would play before the series even started.
“We knew prior to the series that we would get Jasprit for three games, but we had that sorted beforehand. Yes, obviously we would miss him, but we have our plans sorted.”
Coach Gautam Gambhir Stands Firm on Jasprit Bumrah’s Game Count
Head coach Gautam Gambhir had earlier mentioned that Bumrah won’t be playing all five Tests. There were many calls from fans and former players to let him play the entire series, but Gambhir stressed the need to manage his workload properly to avoid pushing him too hard.
India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate also gave an update. He said that while Bumrah is available, the final decision depends on team strategy, the conditions, and the workload of other bowlers.
“Yeah, he’s available for the game, obviously. We know from the start he’s only going to play three out of the five. He’s obviously had eight days to recover from the last Test. But given conditions and workload and how we think we can best manage for the next four games, we haven’t made a call on that. We’re going to see what the other guys are with their workload as well. So technically, yes, he’s available. But we haven’t made a decision on whether he’s going to play or not yet,” Doeschate explained.
Jasprit Bumrah’s Strong Start and Sudden Dip
In the first Test at Headingley, Bumrah was brilliant in the first innings. He picked up five wickets for 83 runs and looked like a real threat. But things didn’t go well in the second innings, where he failed to take a single wicket.
Despite his performance, India ended up losing. England chased down a tough target of 371 runs, making it their second-best run chase ever in Test cricket.
What Lies Ahead for Team India
With Bumrah’s situation still up in the air, the Indian team will need to take a smart call. They’ll have to think about what’s best not just for this match, but for the rest of the series too.
Shubman Gill and the support staff now have a tricky decision to make. Whether they go with Bumrah again or give him a break, it’s clear that player fitness and long-term planning are being kept front and center.
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