‘India's need more important than Jasprit Bumrah's wish to play at Lord's': Former ENG batter says star pacer must play Edgbaston Test
Butcher felt that Bumrah has had an adequate break since India's series-opening five-wicket defeat to England in Headingley last week and said the team's requirement was more important than the pacer's wish to return to play at the iconic Lord's Cricket Ground in the third Test, scheduled to begin next week on June 10.
'Bumrah is going to be a huge talking point as to whether or not this is one of his three Test matches. I think it has to be, it absolutely has to be. Six-day break after Headingley, 1-0 down, he plays. I know he wants to play at Lord's but the needs of the team and the series are more important than his wish to play a Test at Lord's,' Butcher said on the Wisden Cricket Weekly Podcast.
'And who knows, he might get through this one okay and be fine for Lord's, and then you take your chances at the back-end,' Butcher added.
Bumrah was head and shoulders above his bowling peers at Leeds when he claimed a superb first-innings five-wicket haul while the rest of the pacers were slammed left and right by England batters. While he went wicketless in the last innings, Bumrah's pace partner Prasidh Krishna ended the match with woeful figures of 5/224, his 6.40 economy the worst of all pacers in history to have conceded as many runs in a match.
Butcher said that it was imperative that India consider bringing in a left-arm pace or spin option in Arshdeep Singh or Kuldeep Yadav to replace Prasidh.
'First and foremost, depending on what you've got in you squad, you try and pick bowlers that the opposition – England, with their shot-making preference – would like the least. What they would very much enjoy are mid to low eighties seam bowlers. What they would enjoy much less than that is left-arm leg spin, if you have one – and India do have one. That would be the starting point,' said Butcher.
'A left-arm swing bowler is also perhaps an option. If Arshdeep [Singh] comes in, I think Prasidh Krishna was found wanting…. If you can manage it, you go Siraj, Bumrah, Arshdeep, Kuldeep, Jadeja, and you take the cards where they fall with your batting. Simply because – I said it at the time during the first Test match – I couldn't see how Shardul was going to make enough runs to make up for his lack of potency with the ball,' he added.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
‘Sad to think this is only way India are going to win': Alyssa Healy on Shubman Gill and Co.'s dependence on Jasprit Bumrah
India's decision to rest Jasprit Bumrah for the second Test while they are looking to bounce back from a bruising defeat in the first hasn't gone down too well in a number of quarters. Australia women's captain Alyssa Healy has now said that it is somewhat sad that Bumrah is largely seen as the only real weapon India have to force a victory in Test cricket. 'I find that sad that that's what we talk about,' said Healy on the Willow Talk podcast. Healy pointed out that India had five centurions in the first Test in addition to Bumrah's five-wicket haul in the England first innings but it was the hosts who won the match despite not exhibiting individual brilliance of that kind. 'We feel like that's the only way India are going to win the game and I feel that is a really sad way to look at it because they had five hundreds in that game, one guy got a fifer. England had one guy make a hundred and a couple of partnerships won the game,' said Healy. 'England won because the team played well, India individually played really well.' India had a mixed day on the first day of the second Test at Headingley but captain Shubman Gill and Ravindra Jadeja helped them close the day out well. The pair continued where they left on Day 2, taking India beyond the 400-run mark and themselves putting up more than 200 runs for the sixth wicket. The stand finally ended with Jadeja falling on 89 off 137 balls. The pair had put up 203 runs in 279 balls. Former India head coach Ravi Shastri didn't mince any words on his feelings about Bumrah being rested after toss on Day 1. 'This is a very important match, they've had a week off. I'm little surprised Bumrah is not playing this game. It should be taken out of the player's hand. It should be the captain and the head coach that should decide who should be playing the 11. 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. This is the important game where you have to counter-punch almost straightaway,' said Shastri, who had led India to back to back Test series wins in Australia as head coach. 'Play this one. Make it 1-1 and then give him the option: you want to rest at Lord's, rest at Lord's. You think he'll rest at Lord's? No chance if you win this,' he said.
NDTV
3 hours ago
- NDTV
On Jasprit Bumrah's Edgbaston Test Snub, Dale Steyn Namedrops Cristiano Ronaldo: "That's Madness"
Former South Africa pacer Dale Steyn has compared Jasprit Bumrah 's omission from the second Test against England to Portugal benching their star striker and captain Cristiano Ronaldo. Despite India trailing 0-1 in the five-match series, the management decided to rest Bumrah for the game in Edgbaston, a venue where they have never won a Test match. India head coach Gautam Gambhir was criticised by fans and experts alike for dropping Bumrah in such a crucial match. Steyn had a rather interesting take on Bumrah's omission, saying that it was like Ronaldo being benched by Portugal. "So Portugal have the best striker in the world in Ronaldo and they chose not to play him. That's madness. That's like India having Bumrah and choosing not to play, umm, him... wait, oh, no, what! shit I'm confused," Steyn posted on X. So Portugal have the best striker in the world in Ronaldo and they chose not to play him. Thats madness. That's like India having Bumrah and choosing not to play, umm, him... wait, oh, no, what! shit I'm confused — Dale Steyn (@DaleSteyn62) July 2, 2025 Former Australia captain Aaron Finch has voiced his disbelief over India's decision to rest Bumrah. "If Bumrah was fit to play then surely you need to pick the best bowler in the world?" Finch posted on X (formerly Twitter) shortly after the toss. "At the very least Kuldeep has to be in the XI if you're worried about taking 20 wickets. Yes, he might be more expensive but he's the next best attacking option!" India captain Shubman Gill revealed at the toss that Bumrah's exclusion was a workload management decision, with the management opting to preserve him for the Lord's Test, where they feel the conditions will suit him better. Akash Deep was brought in as Bumrah's replacement to make his first Test appearance in England. Former England fast bowler Stuart Broad expressed surprise at seeing India take the field without their most potent weapon, especially after Bumrah's fine display in Leeds. "A week is a very good time off for a fast bowler. (Bumrah's omission) does surprise me and what also surprised me was him saying before the series he will only play three of the five Tests. You keep those cards close to your chest and play each week as it comes. They will definitely want Bumrah at Lord's because of the movement you can get through the air, so can they risk him here?" he said.
India.com
3 hours ago
- India.com
Its Like Portugal Resting Ronaldo: Left Bewildered, Dale Steyn Lashes At India For Benching Jasprit Bumrah
Legendary South African pacer Dale Steyn didn't hold back in his criticism of India's decision to leave Jasprit Bumrah out of the playing XI for the Edgbaston Test. Steyn left bewildered and drew a striking comparison, likening Bumrah's exclusion to a top striker being benched. Notably, Shubman Gill led India benched Jasprit Bumrah in the second test against England at Edgbaston, Birmingham due to workload management. England is currently leading the five match Test series by 1-0 and this game is very important in context of the series. Steyn, who himself has been one of the greatest test bowlers, called out the decision- 'So Portugal have the best striker in the world in Ronaldo and they chose not to play him. That's madness. That's like India having Bumrah and choosing not to play, umm, him… wait, oh, no, what! shit I'm confused,' he tweeted, underlining the sheer audacity of the move. So Portugal have the best striker in the world in Ronaldo and they chose not to play him. Thats madness. That's like India having Bumrah and choosing not to play, umm, him… wait, oh, no, what! shit I'm confused — Dale Steyn (@DaleSteyn62) July 2, 2025 India's chief selector, Ajit Agarkar, had previously stated the move was rooted in workload management. Ahead of the tour in May, he revealed that Bumrah would only feature in three Tests, in line with recommendations from the BCCI medical team. Captain Shubman Gill reaffirmed the rationale at the toss: 'Just to manage his workload. We did get a good break and this is an important match for us. But the third Test being at Lord's, we think there'll be more in that pitch so we'll use him there.' Having taken a five-wicket haul in the first Test while his teammates failed to deliver the decision to bench Bumrah shocked many analysts. Despite the blowback, coach Gautam Gambhir and Gill remained firm, opting to safeguard Bumrah's fitness for the Lord's Test. Bumrash has overbowled during Border Gavaskar Trophy that resulted in his injury and the ace pacer missing out Champions Trophy 2025 due to the injury. India learning from its past mistakes is looking to manage their champion player better this time. Head Coach Gautam Gambhir also stated about Bumrah during last match's press conference that it is decided that Bumrh will play three Tests and there is a lot of cricket coming forward. India closed Day 1 at 310 for 5, thanks to a second successive ton from Gill and an aggressive yet composed 87 from Yashasvi Jaiswal
