England captain Ben Stokes has made it clear that he is not interested in speculating over Jasprit Bumrah's participation in the second Test at Edgbaston against India, starting July 2.
Speaking on the eve of the match, Stokes was asked whether Bumrah’s potential absence would give England an upper hand. The all-rounder was quick to shrug off any such advantage, stating that Bumrah's situation was "India’s problem to deal with," making it evident he had no intention of getting involved in India’s selection matters.
There has been growing uncertainty around Jasprit Bumrah’s availability for the second Test. While he bowled 43.4 overs in the first Test at Headingley and also took a fifer in the first innings, media reports claim that the team management has decided to rest him for the second fixture as they have already confirmed that he will only play three games on the tour. The situation was further muddled when India’s team management refused to offer a definitive answer in their pre-match press interactions.
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Not My Problem, Let India Decide: Ben Stokes on Jasprit Bumrah’s Availability Confusion
Ben Stokes has distanced himself from the growing speculation surrounding Bumrah’s availability for the second Test at Edgbaston. Speaking ahead of the clash, he said:
"(Bumrah is) India's problem to deal with. I am the captain of England. Let India decide what they want to do and what they want to say publicly."
Bumrah was present during training sessions in Birmingham and even bowled on Saturday. However, confusion over his participation in the Edgbaston rubber still persists.
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Ryan ten Doeschate Confirms Jasprit Bumrah Is Available, But Decision Remains Pending
While commenting on Bumrah’s availability, India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate stated that the final decision would be taken only after considering multiple factors, including the workloads of other fast-bowlers.
"He’s available for the game, obviously. We know from the start he’s only going to play three out of the five. He’s had eight days to recover from the last Test. But given conditions, workload, and how we think we can best manage for the next four games, we haven’t made a call on that. We’re going to see what the other guys are with their workload as well. So technically, yes, he’s available," said ten Doeschate as quoted.
After India's five-wicket loss at Headingley, head coach Gautam Gambhir asserted that there has been no change in plans and Bumrah will only feature in three Tests of the ongoing England series.
From England’s perspective, the focus is on continuing their strong showing after going 1-0 up in the five-match series. They are unlikely to be swayed by whether Bumrah plays or not, if Stokes’ words are to be believed.
For India, however, it could be a significant decision. Bumrah remains their most potent threat with the red ball, and resting him at this stage. could have a major impact on the outcome at Edgbaston. If he misses out, Arshdeep Singh or Akash Deep will replace him.
Also read: IND vs ENG 2025: "We Will Give It A Good Crack" - Harry Brook On Chasing 450 & Beyond In Tests
