IND vs ENG 2nd TEST: India Braces for Second Test Without Jasprit Bumrah, Seeks New Strategy and Stand-In
India’s cricket team is grappling with a major challenge early in their England tour. Following a disappointing loss at Headingley, where they failed to defend a 371-run target, the team now faces the prospect of playing the second Test at Edgbaston without their star pacer, Jasprit Bumrah. According to reports, Bumrah, who bowled an exhaustive 44 overs in the first Test, is likely to be rested for workload management or due to the demanding conditions at Lord’s. He is expected to return for the third Test in London on July 10.
With the Birmingham Test just days away, India’s bowling unit must quickly regroup. The team’s pacers need to sharpen their skills, refine their discipline, and devise a cohesive strategy. After a well-earned two-day break, the squad is expected to hit the nets, focusing on erasing the bitter memories of Headingley through relentless practice and strategic planning.
Without Bumrah, India’s leading wicket-taker, the question looms: how will they take 20 wickets at Edgbaston? The team management faces a critical decision in selecting bowlers capable of stepping up. The first Test exposed vulnerabilities in India’s attack, particularly on the final day when England openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley capitalized on a flat pitch. Their aggressive yet calculated batting dismantled India’s bowlers, revealing deficiencies in skill and tactics on England’s unexpectedly batter-friendly surfaces. Either the coaching staff’s plans fell short, or the bowlers struggled to execute them, resulting in India trailing 0-1.
Analysis of key dismissals in the first Test points to a clear strategy: the full-length ball targeting the stumps is India’s best weapon. Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, in an interview with The Indian Express, emphasized that even Bumrah needed to bowl fuller to attack the stumps. Batsmen like Duckett, Crawley, Joe Root, Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, and Shubman Gill all fell to deliveries pitched up, either moving away or holding their line to produce bowled, lbw, or caught-behind dismissals.
India’s bowlers Prasidh Krishna and Shardul Thakur came under fire for failing to maintain this ideal line and length during the crucial first session on Day 5 at Headingley. Despite cloudy, drizzly conditions and moisture in the air perfect for swing bowling the duo didn’t capitalize on the opportunity. Experts note that fuller deliveries generate more swing, increasing the chances of hitting the stumps or inducing edges. Yet, Prasidh and Thakur either deviated from this approach or were instructed to follow a different plan, leaving India wicketless as England’s openers raced toward the target.
As India prepares for Edgbaston, the focus is on adapting to challenging conditions and finding a way to fill the void left by Bumrah’s probable absence.