ENG vs IND 2025: 'It's like Portugal not playing Ronaldo' - Dale Steyn slams India for resting Bumrah in 2nd test

Former South African speedster Dale Steyn didn’t mince words while slamming India’s team management for resting Jasprit Bumrah in the second Test against England at Edgbaston. Despite being India’s standout performer in the opening Test at Leeds, where he claimed a five-wicket haul, Bumrah was benched in favour of Akash Deep a move that surprised fans and experts alike.

Taking to the social media platform X, Steyn likened the decision to Portugal benching Cristiano Ronaldo in a must-win football match. “So Portugal have the best striker in the world in Ronaldo and they chose not to play him. That’s madness. That’s like India having Bumrah and choosing not to play, umm, him… wait, oh, no, what! shit I’m confused,” Steyn posted, expressing disbelief over the exclusion.

India’s management, led by captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir, justified the decision as part of a pre-decided workload management plan. Bumrah, who has been recovering from a back issue earlier this year, was scheduled to feature in only three of the five Tests. This plan was endorsed by chief selector Ajit Agarkar and approved by the BCCI medical team.

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Gill Scores Ton but Bumrah Omission Raises Eyebrows Amid India’s Struggles

At the toss, Gill explained, “Just to manage his workload. We did get a good break, and this is an important match for us. But the third Test being at Lord's, we think there'll be more in that pitch, so we'll use him there.”

While India’s strategy sparked debate, they had a solid start at Edgbaston, ending Day 1 at 310/5. Gill led from the front with a second consecutive century (114*), supported by Jaiswal’s fluent 87 and Jadeja’s unbeaten 41. But questions remain whether the gamble to rest Bumrah in a must-win match will pay off, especially given India’s poor recent red-ball form just one win in their last nine Tests.