India’s shocking defeat at Headingley in the first Test of the ongoing five-match series versus England has sparked alarm bells, and Ravi Shastri is not holding back. The former India coach, currently on commentary duties with Sky Sports, delivered a pointed message after the loss, saying India cannot afford to rest their pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who took a fifer in Leeds, now.
The issue of Bumrah’s workload management has been a recurring theme. The fast-bowler is expected to play only three of the five Tests. However, with India now trailing 1-0 after the loss at Headingley, the question is not just which matches Bumrah will play, but whether the team can even afford to rest him anymore.
Jasprit Bumrah's presence at Lord’s seems certain, as per Shastri, but there is speculation over whether he might skip the second Test at Edgbaston to manage his fitness. That, as Shastri pointed out, could be a risky call.
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Ravi Shastri Says Jasprit Bumrah Must Play Next Test or Series Could Slip Away
Speaking on Sky Sports, Shastri admitted there are concerns over how India are managing Bumrah’s workload. With the series now in England’s favour, Shastri opined that holding the pacer back for later Tests could backfire.
"Bumrah said he'll play three Test matches. Now, which of the three he'll play, that's, you know, another question to be asked. I think if he takes a break, it'll be the next one, because he'll definitely want to play at Lord's, right? And there's a break, and then you go into Lord's, then there's a break, and then there's a choice between Manchester and the same. It could be 2-0 down. So that is the problem. I think he has got to play," Shastri said as quoted on Sky Sports.
Shastri voiced his frustration at how India let the first Test slip through their fingers despite England’s bowling attack being depleted due to injuries. He made it clear that if the team does not come back hard at Edgbaston, the series could quickly spiral out of control. He also talked about India’s poor performance in the home Test series against New Zealand and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 Down Under.
"It will be a tough pill to swallow because I was just telling him, back in the commentary box, that we lost 3-0 against New Zealand, lost a series in Australia. Now, this is a tough series. You had your opportunity to go one up here, you know, with England having problems with their bowling attack, the injuries that they have. And you've blown it. And now it's catch-up time."
Shastri added that India cannot afford to wait any longer to punch back. Otherwise, he warned that the series fate could be decided at Edgbaston.
"You're going to go and show some real character. And the knockout punch has to come in the very next Test match. If that doesn't happen, then you're really looking down. So whenever there's a counter punch, you're down. That has to happen quite immediately. So they have to realise that,” Shastri stated.
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Gautam Gambhir Confirms Jasprit Bumrah’s Rotation Strategy Remains Unchanged
India head coach Gautam Gambhir also spoke to the media following the defeat in Leeds, and addressed the growing noise around Bumrah’s rotation. He confirmed that the team had agreed before the tour began that Bumrah would feature in only three Tests and there are no changes to that plan yet.
"No, our plans remain the same. Managing Bumrah’s workload is crucial because we have a lot of cricket coming up. Before this tour began, it was decided that he would play three Tests, but we haven’t yet decided which three. We’ll see how his body holds up. But yes, we absolutely believe in the bowling group. We picked them on trust, not hope. They’ll keep getting better with time," Gambhir said as quoted to the media.
India's next Test against England is scheduled at Edgbaston in Birmingham, starting July 2.
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