Bumrah's Return Fuels India's Bowling Focus Ahead of Crucial Edgbaston Test Against England

Bumrah Back in Action as India Intensifies Bowling Practice for Edgbaston Test

Birmingham – In preparation for the crucial Edgbaston Test, the Indian cricket team focused heavily on bowling drills during their second day of practice. The return of star pacer Jasprit Bumrah to the nets was a major highlight, shifting the spotlight firmly onto the team's pace attack.

Bumrah's presence at Saturday's session was particularly significant, as doubts still lingered regarding his availability for the second Test against England. He had skipped the opening session on Friday, further fueling speculation.

After suffering a five-wicket defeat at Headingley, which put them 0-1 down in the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series, India wasted no time in getting back to work. While the entire squad participated in Friday’s practice, the absence of Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna from active drills raised concerns about their readiness for the upcoming Birmingham Test.

Saturday's session provided a much-needed boost for India’s pace resources. Bumrah, Prasidh, and Mohammed Siraj all bowled in the nets, with Siraj continuing his batting practice from the previous day. Their return injected renewed intensity into India’s preparations as they seek to level the series in Birmingham.

Among the batsmen, Sai Sudharsan, who debuted in the Headingley Test, was the first to bat in the nets on Day 2. Notably absent from Saturday’s training were captain Shubman Gill, vice-captain Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and Yashasvi Jaiswal. These four had all participated extensively in Friday’s session, with Gill and Pant spending considerable time at the nets.

While Bumrah's return is encouraging, his inclusion in the Edgbaston XI is still uncertain. The 31-year-old bowled 44 overs in the first Test and is scheduled to play in only three of the five Tests as part of a workload management strategy. Head coach Gautam Gambhir emphasized that the decision on Bumrah’s participation will be made on a match-by-match basis, irrespective of the series situation.

With bowling taking center stage in India's practice, the team hopes that their key bowlers will be ready for battle as they aim to secure a series-levelling victory at Edgbaston.