3 reasons why India resting Jasprit Bumrah for the 3rd Test vs England would be the wrong move

Team India pacer, Jasprit Bumrah, was crowned Player of the Match for his exceptional bowling display in the second Test against England in Vishakapatnam. His figures of 9/91, courtesy of excellent reverse swing bowling, helped the Men in Blue secure a series-levelling win.

The five-match affair is well poised at 1-1, and the next Test is scheduled to take place in Rajkot from February 15 onwards. However, if reports are to be believed, the team management is considering resting Bumrah for the upcoming clash, in a bid to have him at his full potential in the final leg of the series.

Bumrah's workload has been closely managed since his return from injury in August 2023. Across the last set of months, he has played in the Asia Cup, the 2023 ODI World Cup and the Test series against South Africa. He also has a hectic 2024 lined up as well, with the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) and the 2024 T20 World Cup taking center stage.

However, the ongoing series against England is also crucial, considering India's wobbly journey in the 2023-25 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle so far.

On that note, let us take a look at three reasons why India resting Jasprit Bumrah for the 3rd Test vs England would be the wrong move.

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#1 Team India need to make the most of the momentum

England's performance across the first two Tests proves that the series will hardly be a breeze for India, and they will have to be on their toes to emerge with a series win. The Men in Blue were taken aback by England's stunning comeback win in the first Test, and bounced back in Vishakapatnam to level the series.

With the hosts already having to deal with several setbacks throughout the series, including Virat Kohli's absence, and injuries to Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul, it is imperative that they use the momentum to full effect and claim a series lead, chances of which are lowered with Bumrah's absence.

Instead of backing down and waiting to charge in the latter part of the series, now is the time to push the throttle and try to push for glory.

Furthermore, there is also a significant 10-day break in place between the second and third Tests of the series, which is feasibly more than enough time for Bumrah to recover from the gruelling efforts that he has put in the series so far.

The likes of Pat Cummins and other Australian bowlers have also played a line of Test matches in quick succession, and although the situation is not quite entirely comparable, it is definitely a benchmark to live up to.

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#2 Bumrah is Team India's biggest weapon against Bazball in Rajkot's flat surface

If Team India had to overly rely on Bumrah on a relatively flat surface in Vishakapatnam, then they would need the pacer more than ever in Rajkot. Although there is no indication as to how the pitch will play out, the venue presents itself as one of the flattest decks in the country as far as its reputation is concerned.

The venue has hosted two Ranji Trophy matches so far this season. The first was a high-scoring draw where Cheteshwar Pujara slammed a double ton, while the second affair was a low-scoring thriller.

England will thrive if the surface aids batting, and without Bumrah, the opposition batters will pile on runs. The pacer was the biggest difference between the two sides, and potentially the sole obstacle to England's batting efforts. As a result, India need the ace pacer's services to avoid losing a second contest in the series and giving the visitors a near-unassailable lead.

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#3 Team India will have to stick with the two pacer formula in Bumrah's absence

Mohammed Siraj and Mukesh Kumar have really struggled to make an impression in their roles as the second seamer so far. Furthermore, the batting unit has also been quite below par, riding on individual brilliance rather than a collective effort.

As a double fix, Team India do have the provision of following England's combination, which suggests including Washington Sundar in a bid to have another spin bowling option as well as increasing batting depth, quite necessary in Jadeja's absence. However, this is only feasible if Bumrah plays, because neither Siraj nor Mukesh can play as a lone pacer in the playing XI.

So, if Bumrah is indeed rested as the reports suggest, then Siraj and Mukesh will both have to play, leaving the batting depth compromised yet again.

Will the pacer feature in the upcoming third Test against England? Let us know what you think.