Arshdeep Singh vs Akash Deep - who should be replacement for Jasprit Bumrah if he's not playing in ENG vs IND 2025 2nd Test?

Ace Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah is expected to be rested for the second Test against England to manage his workload. The five-match Test series continues with the second game scheduled to begin on Wednesday, July 2, at Edgbaston in Birmingham. Bumrah was a key player in the first Test at Headingley, claiming five wickets in the first innings. It was a done decision before the series that he would only play three of the five matches for fitness reasons.

India suffered a five-wicket defeat in the first Test as England successfully chased 371 runs on the final day. With Bumrah possibly sitting out the second Test, India will need to rethink their bowling combination. Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna are likely to retain their places after playing in the first Test. The team management will have to select a suitable replacement from the reserve fast bowlers, who have been traveling with the squad.

See Also: Out of self realisation Rishabh Pant uninstalled WhatsApp and switched off phone

Of the options, Arshdeep Singh and Akash Deep are probably the leading candidates to take Bumrah's place. Both pacers are relatively untested at Test level, but they have demonstrated good performances in domestic and A-team cricket. Ultimately, it could come down to conditions at Edgbaston and the team's overall plan. Whether India goes for Arshdeep's left-arm variation or Akash Deep's consistency and pace remains to be seen.

Arshdeep making debut?

Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh, who received his maiden Test call-up, is yet to debut in the format for India. Despite this, he holds an impressive first-class record with 66 wickets from 21 matches. Arshdeep also got some experience playing County Cricket for Kent in 2023 and picked up 13 wickets in the five County Championship games. His ability to swing the ball both ways makes him a genuine threat, especially up against in-form English opening batsmen like Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett with the new ball.

If selected to replace Jasprit Bumrah for the second Test, Arshdeep could add an attacking dimension. As a left-armer, he would complement the pace attack and offers some differences to England’s top-order, who are set to face an extra pace bowler. As a bowler who performs well in limited-overs cricket, Arshdeep will be trying to show what he can do in red-ball cricket, and the second Test would be an ideal opportunity for him to showcase his abilities and earn his Test cap.

Comeback for Akash Deep

Akash Deep, as opposed to Arshdeep Singh, has already made his Test debut after playing seven matches for India. He captured 15 wickets at an average of 35.20, having made his debut against England in Ranchi in 2024. Akash Deep started well in his first match, taking three wickets, but has since had a mixed bag of performances. He still has a good action and is a competent seam bowler who can make the ball move sideways and is a potential threat to batters in the right conditions.

He also has the added benefit of overseas experience, having played two Tests on India's prior tour of Australia, in which Akash Deep took five wickets, at an average of 54 and an economy rate of 3.46. Nevertheless, at first-class level, he has a decent record already: 128 wickets in 38 matches at an average of 24.19. If India opts for someone with prior Test experience to replace Bumrah, Akash Deep could be a reliable choice.

Cricketwinner's pick will be Arshdeep Singh, making his debut against England in the second Test

While both Arshdeep and Akash Deep are viable options to replace Jasprit Bumrah, given their strengths, Arshdeep appears to hold the edge over his teammate in case the need arises. Given India already have three right-arm fast bowlers in Siraj, Prasidh, and Shardul Thakur, Arshdeep being a left-arm pacer brings a different angle and option that captain Shubman Gill can look up to. 

India struggled to pick up wickets when Bumrah did not fire, which also puts Arshdeep slightly ahead of Akash Deep as an attacking and wicket-taking option given the style of cricket the English batters have been playing with.