Bumrah Back in the Nets: India Intensifies Bowling Prep for Edgbaston Test Against England

Bumrah Back in Action as India Fine-Tunes Bowling Attack for Edgbaston Test

Birmingham: Jasprit Bumrah made a return to training on Saturday, shifting the focus to bowling during Team India's second day of preparations for the crucial Edgbaston Test.

After sitting out Friday's opening session, Bumrah's presence in the nets sparked considerable interest, especially given the lingering questions about his availability for the second Test against England.

Following a five-wicket defeat at Headingley, which put them 0-1 down in the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, India wasted no time in getting down to business on Friday. Although the entire squad participated in practice, Bumrah and fellow pacer Prasidh Krishna refrained from active drills, fueling speculation about their fitness for the Birmingham Test.

However, Saturday brought a much-needed morale boost to India’s pace attack. Bumrah, Prasidh, and Mohammed Siraj were all seen bowling at the nets, with Siraj building on his batting practice from Day 1. Their return injected renewed vigor into India's preparations as the team aims to make a strong comeback in Birmingham.

Among the batsmen, Sai Sudharsan, who debuted in the Headingley Test, was the first to take his place in the nets on Day 2. Notably absent from Saturday’s training were captain Shubman Gill, vice-captain Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and Yashasvi Jaiswal. All four had engaged in extensive batting practice on Friday, with Gill and Pant spending considerable time in the nets.

While Bumrah’s return is a positive sign, his inclusion in the Edgbaston XI remains uncertain. The 31-year-old bowled a demanding 44 overs in the series opener and is scheduled to participate in only three of the five Tests as part of a workload management strategy. Head coach Gautam Gambhir, following the Headingley loss, emphasized that the decision regarding Bumrah’s participation will be made on a match-by-match basis, irrespective of the series scoreline.

With bowling now taking center stage in India's practice sessions, the team will be hoping that their key bowlers are fully prepared for battle as they seek to level the series at Edgbaston.