Former India head coach Ravi Shastri strongly criticised the team management's decision to rest Jasprit Bumrah for the second Test against England at Edgbaston. Expressing disbelief, Shastri questioned why India would leave out their premier fast bowler, especially after he had seven days to recover following the loss at Headingley. Bumrah, who bowled over 43 overs in the first Test and picked up a five-wicket haul in the first innings, was rested as part of workload management, according to skipper Shubman Gill’s statement at the toss.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Shastri highlighted that the Edgbaston Test was a pivotal moment in the series for India and demanded the presence of their top performers. He stressed that such a crucial game required the services of Bumrah, widely regarded as India’s best fast bowler. Although Gill assured that Bumrah would be back for the third Test at Lord’s, Shastri maintained that India could have taken a more aggressive approach by fielding their strongest XI for the second game to level the series. His remarks reflected the growing concern around India’s strategy and decision-making in high-stakes matches.

See Also: Pant rises to No. 6 in ICC Test Rankings, Bumrah holds firm at the top

"I think Michael asked the question at the toss, if you look at the run India has had, this becomes a very very important Test match. You have lost 3 against New Zealand, 3 against Australia and lost the first Test match here. You have to get back to winning ways. You have the best fast bowler in the world and you make him sit out after 7 days of rest. It's something very hard to believe," Ravi Shastri on the exclusion of Bumrah from second Test.

Watch the video here;

"This becomes a very important Test match" 👀

Ravi Shastri on the impact of Jasprit Bumrah missing the second Test 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/df2Y7sXWDA

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 2, 2025

Playing XI of India and England in second ENG vs IND Test