'Is the Lord's Test More Important Than the Series?' - Kumar Sangakkara slams India's decision to rest Bumrah for 2nd Test

Legendary Sri Lankan cricketer Kumar Sangakkara has expressed strong criticism over India’s decision to rest star pacer Jasprit Bumrah for the second Test against England. Despite earlier announcements that Bumrah wouldn’t be playing all five matches of the series, many experts and fans believed his inclusion in the second Test was crucial—especially after India’s defeat in the series opener. Sangakkara, speaking on Sky Sports, was visibly surprised and questioned the logic behind the decision.

"Interesting to understand how the decision is being made and who makes it.? Is it after a consultation with the players or the physios? It depends on whether the Lord's Test is more important than the series. The series is on the line," he said. According to Sangakkara, with India under pressure after losing the first match, this was the time when someone like Bumrah was needed to give the team a push.

"If we see the score, it's an even day, perhaps a little bit more tilted towards England with the five wickets down. So I would have expected the coach to have gone to Bumrah and said, 'Yes, we thought you might play the 3rd and the 5th Test, but we're going 1 and 2. Take a look if you can play the third; if you can, because then you've got two weeks off before the next one," he added, suggesting India should have adapted based on the situation.

Sangakkara Also Questions Omission of Kuldeep, Points to Recent Test Struggles

Sangakkara also touched upon the exclusion of spinner Kuldeep Yadav, which didn’t sit well with fans or pundits. He felt the decision-making reflected a reactive approach and was influenced by India’s recent poor run in Test matches.

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“It’s not just a reaction to the last Test. I think there is a bit of chat about the last 9–10. Seven losses, one win, and one draw. There is a little bit of baggage as well to turn that pattern around. So there was a lot of pressure, and they were looking at this game and thinking, ‘alright, what can we do?’ and they rang in all the changes," Sangakkara said, pointing to the team’s recent record and the weight it carries into current selections.