Shastri to India Management: Reconsider Resting Bumrah After Headingley Defeat

Shastri Urges India to Reconsider Bumrah's Rest Amidst Test Series

Jasprit Bumrah with his captain Shubman Gill (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has issued a warning to the Indian team management, including Gautam Gambhir and Shubman Gill, regarding the potential resting of Jasprit Bumrah during the upcoming Test series against England. This comes in the wake of India's recent five-wicket defeat at Headingley, where Bumrah showcased his prowess by claiming five wickets.

The current plan, as articulated by head coach Gautam Gambhir, involves Bumrah participating in only three of the five Tests, a decision driven by workload management considerations.

In the Headingley Test, Bumrah's figures stood at 5-140 from 43.4 overs, with all his wickets secured in the first innings.

"If he was looking at a rest, you may have to think twice. If you don't have him and then go 2-0 down it could be an uphill task," Shastri commented on Sky Sports, highlighting the potential ramifications of sidelining Bumrah.

The performance of the other Indian seamers, namely Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna, adds weight to Shastri's concern. Their combined figures of 9-482 in 92 overs paint a concerning picture, potentially influencing the decision to field Bumrah in the second Test at Edgbaston, commencing on July 2.

"This will be a tough pill for India to swallow. You don't get in positions like this very often and blow it from there. They had a chance to take England out of the contest and dictate terms," Shastri stated, emphasizing the significance of seizing opportunities.

He further added, "They have to learn and they need more bottle from the tail, for them to be stubborn and put a price tag on their wicket. There is a big role for the coaching staff to take the positives. As a captain, Gill has done more than can be asked of him. He got a hundred in his first Test in charge and the dropped catches (and collapses) are not in his control."

Former England captain Nasser Hussain also weighed in on Gill's captaincy and India's overall performance.

"I saw someone finding his way. He didn't quite have that on-field aura of Rohit and (Virat Kohli). I thought he followed the ball a lot and was reactive rather than proactive. When Rohit and Kohli captained, you looked down and you immediately knew who was in charge but when I looked down in this game I saw two or three captains, captaincy by committee," Hussain observed, drawing comparisons with previous Indian captains.

Hussain concluded, "But India lost from two things Gill couldn't control - drops and collapses. The collapses concern me. In India they have had spin-bowling all-rounders that are magnificent - Ravi Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel - but in England they are still looking for a seam-bowling all-rounder who can bat. If they keep going 6-31 and 7-41 this could be a quick series."