India won’t change plan to rest Bumrah – Gambhir

Despite losing in the series opener, coach Gautam Gambhir says that India will continue to play star bowler Jasprit Bumrah in only three of their five Test matches this summer.

Bumrah was India’s best bowler at Headingley, taking 5-83 in the opening overs, but was unable to stop England leading by 371 in a remarkable five-wicket victory on day 5.

After missing four months with a back injury earlier this year, India made the decision to limit Bumrah’s impact by only participating in three Test matches.

Gambhir remarked, “We won’t change it.”

Gambhir said it is still a mystery which of the series’ other two Test matches will Bumrah, who is the top bowler in the world rankings and is a key format player, will play.

Only three days have passed between the scheduled conclusion of that match and the start of the third Test at Lord’s before the second Test in Edgbaston, which will take place on July 2.

Between the third and fourth matches, there is an additional eight days between the third and fourth, but this time just three before the series finale at The Oval.

Let’s examine his body composition, Gambhir remarked. He said, “We haven’t decided which two additional matches he’ll play.”

As England attempted to get a 371 on day five but still looked a class above his team-mates, Bumrah did not take a wicket in his 19 overs in his first red-ball game since he was unable to bowl in the second innings of the fifth Test against Australia in January.

Mohammed Siraj, India’s second-most senior seamer, took a 2-173 total in both innings, while Shardul Thakur, who was chosen to add batting depth at number eight but was unavailable for one and four, returned figures of 2-89 in 16 overs.

However, Gambhir defended his pace bowlers and criticized Ben Duckett’s dismissals of Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, and Thakur for being caught at cover and Harry Brook strangled down the leg side.

Gambhir praised Prasadh’s ability to bowl well and score crucial wickets. We chose him because we believed he had a unique bounce, and he did so brilliantly in his first innings.

Shardul was reportedly used less. We anticipated that Ravindra Jadeja would take our place.

“I’m not going to lie and say that they didn’t bowl well,” I said.