India risk 'losing Jasprit Bumrah forever' if he plays Edgbaston Test: 'He has a young family. If you break him...'

Hindustan Times

a day ago

The 2nd Test between India and England at Edgbaston for the Anderson-Tendulkar is less than 24 hours away, and yet, there's no clarity over the status of Jasprit Bumrah. The India pacer, who took five wickets in the first innings of the Leeds Test, was always uncertain for the second Test, but the fact that he featured in two of India's three practice sessions, including the one on the eve of the Birmingham game, sends out mixed signals. The decision could have been a lot easier had India won the Leeds, but with the 2nd Test of the series starting in 8 days' time, not playing Bumrah could be catastrophic. Can India afford to go 0-2 down and bring Bumrah back for the Lord's Test? It's a big if. Will he or won't he? Jasprit Bumrah's availability for 2nd India vs England Test remains a mystery(Reuters)
Do you think the Indian team management had made the decision which Tests Jasprit Bumrah was going to play and which ones he'll skip, even before they landed in England? Because this is where the grey area can start. India head coach Gautam Gambhir has come out and said that they are going to monitor his workload, but a premature decision may not be the best way forward for Team India. India have lost the first Test; emotions can get involved. "Should we play him? Should we not? Can we afford to go 0-2 down?" are some of the questions surrounding the Indian think tank at the moment.
Despite the hoopla of workload management, a whopping fact emerged during the 1st Test between Australia and the West Indies last week. Bumrah has bowled the most number of overs in Test cricket since 2024. He has sent down 410.4 overs, followed by Mitchell Starc at second with 362.3 overs. Pat Cummins has bowled 359.1, Mohammed Siraj 355.3 and Gus Atkinson 328. Where is the management?
"So they are managing his workload. But did you see that stat pop up? He has bowled the most amount of overs than any quick since 2024 in Test cricket," former Australia captain Alyssa Healy wondered on LiSTNR Sport podcast.
"He has already had that surgery. And he's still having issues. As a human being that is worrying. He's got a life to live, he's got a young family and if you can't take part in normal life. If you undo that surgery by breaking him again, you've lost him forever. So that's where his workload is actually important. You saw him walk off at SCG. He knew. He was bowling fine but he knew his back was cooked. I just think they are going to play him – they need to win it and get some momentum back. But it's who you're putting around him to compliment him so that he doesn't need to do all the work is the more important question." Why Healy makes sense?
Healy makes a staggering point. Yes, Bumrah is important. But is it worth taking the risk? India have a long Test season ahead, during which they will play series at home and abroad. Besides, Bumrah is a key factor in India's T20 World Cup defence next year and the 2027 World Cup 2027. As Healy pointed out, in 2022, Bumrah underwent back surgery, which kept him out of action for over a year. When he returned, he was a beast, bowling better than ever before. But despite going under the knife, Bumrah is not bulletproof – the back injury he sustained in Australia is an example – and hence, preserving him is their biggest hope.
If he plays the Edgbaston Test, which again could last all five days, given the nature of the pitch, Bumrah risks injuring himself again. Either Bumrah skips the Lord's Test, which no player in their right mind would want to miss, or he sits out the one starting tomorrow. No way he's playing both this and the next one.