India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is likely to be rested for the second Test of the five-match series against England, as part of a pre-planned workload management strategy, according to a report by NDTV on Thursday. The 31-year-old pacer bowled 24.4 overs in the first innings and 19 overs in the second during the opening Test in Leeds, where India lost by five wickets. Bumrah will not play the Edgbaston Test starting July 2, but he is expected to return for the third match at Lord’s from July 10.
Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh is likely to replace Bumrah in the playing eleven. Arshdeep, who won the ICC T20I Cricketer of the Year award in 2024, has never played a Test match for India. The ongoing series marks his first call-up to the red-ball squad.
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Meanwhile, all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy may come in for Shardul Thakur. Thakur failed to impress with the bat in the first Test and bowled only six overs in the first innings. He did take two wickets in two balls in the second innings, but team management is reportedly considering a change.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir defended the decision to rest Bumrah. Speaking at the post-match press conference after the first Test, Gambhir said, “Managing his workload is more important because there is a lot of cricket ahead. Before the tour, it was already decided that he would play three Tests.”
Bumrah had played all five matches of the 2024–25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He suffered a back injury in the final Test in Sydney and was sidelined for over three months.
India trail 1-0 in the series. The third Test is scheduled at Lord’s from July 10 to 14.
