"You can't pick and choose" - Former India all-rounder questions Jasprit Bumrah's absence from ENG vs IND 2025 2nd Test

Former all-rounder Irfan Pathan has questioned Team India's decision to rest Jasprit Bumrah for the second Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England. The match got underway at Edgbaston, Birmingham, on Wednesday, July 2.

Bumrah was rested despite a seven-day break between the two matches. He is expected to play just three out of the five matches in the ongoing series. Akash Deep replaced the ace speedster in the side for the second fixture.

Irfan opined that a player shouldn't pick and choose when he wants to play. The cricketer-turned-commentator suggested that Bumrah's workload management wasn't fair for Akash, who is now expected to perform straightaway.

Speaking on Sony Sports Network, Irfan remarked:

"When you have been selected in the Indian team, you can't pick and choose citing workload. There is no bowler like Bumrah; he is the No. 1, world-class bowler. But there is no injury here; it is workload management. When you pick and choose because of workload management, you expect Akash Deep to do something magical straightaway. He might do that, but any bowler needs time and continuity is very important."

Irfan further stated that the Indian think tank should now be ready to go into a Test series without senior bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, adding:

"We have to start thinking of playing without Bumrah and Shami in Test cricket. The planning should be done keeping that in mind. If my main bowler is not playing all five Test matches in an overseas series, I am at a loss. I don't have Bumrah for all the matches, and the youngster replacing him doesn't get the stability."

Jasprit Bumrah was the pick of the bowlers in England's first innings of the Test series opener at Headingley, Leeds. He claimed his 14th five-wicket haul in the format.

However, he remained wicketless in the fourth innings. The hosts overhauled India's 371-run target, scripting the tenth-highest fourth innings run chase in Tests.

It is worth mentioning that Bumrah featured in all five Tests of India's 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia. However, he sustained a back injury in the final fixture, which sidelined him from the 2025 Champions Trophy.

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"I'm a little surprised" - Ravi Shastri on Jasprit Bumrah missing ENG vs IND 2025 2nd Test

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri was also surprised by Jasprit Bumrah's absence from India's playing XI at Edgbaston. He emphasized that the team management should have played their pace spearhead, given that they are trailing 0-1 in the series.

Shastri told Sky Sports (via India Today):

"They've had a week off. I'm a little surprised that Bumrah is not playing this game. I think it should be taken out of the player's hand. It should be the captain and the coaching staff that should decide who should be playing, and if this is an important game in the context of the series, he should be playing this game more than anything else. Lord's can come later. You know this is the important game where you've got to counter punch almost straightaway."

Speaking at the toss, India captain Shubman Gill stated that the side wanted to save Jasprit Bumrah for the third Test as the pitch at Lord's, London, is likely to offer more for the pacers.