Former England captain Alastair Cook humorously mentioned that Team India’s decision to openly reveal Jasprit Bumrah’s restricted involvement in the Test series could be a tactical deception. The Indian team management has made it known that Bumrah will feature in only three out of the five Tests, citing workload management as the reason.
Ajit Agarkar, the chief selector, addressed Bumrah’s workload concerns during the squad announcement press briefing. Team India Test captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir have consistently supported this decision.
The possibility of Bumrah missing two Tests has been welcomed by England, particularly after their recent victory at Headingley, Leeds, which put them in a strong position. India now face a tough decision ahead of the second Test whether to risk playing Bumrah at Edgbaston to avoid going 0-2 down, or to save him for better conditions at Lord’s for the third Test.
Michael Vaughan was taken aback by India’s decision to disclose their plans for Bumrah’s workload in advance, rather than keeping it confidential.
“Why are they revealing that their top bowler will only feature in three Tests?” Vaughan said.
“Unless it’s one of the biggest bluffs in history. Surely, you’d prefer to have Bumrah playing at Lord’s, wouldn’t you?” former England captain Cook responded.
Given that there is only a three-day gap between the second and third Tests, it seems highly unlikely that Bumrah will be available for both matches.
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