In a significant move ahead of the second Test against England at Edgbaston, India has decided to rest star pacer Jasprit Bumrah. Captain Shubman Gill confirmed the move was strategic, keeping Bumrah fresh for the Lord’s Test next week, where conditions are expected to favour him more.
England captain Ben Stokes won the toss and chose to bowl first, looking to exploit helpful conditions in Birmingham. England leads the five-Test series 1-0, having secured a strong win at Headingley in the opening match.
Three Key Inclusions for India
India made three changes to their playing XI:
- Akash Deep, right-arm fast bowler, replaces Bumrah
- Washington Sundar, all-rounder, comes in for more balance in the lower order
- Nitish Kumar Reddy, a promising young batsman, is also added to the lineup
With these changes, Shardul Thakur and B Sai Sudharsan miss out from the previous match. Karun Nair has been promoted to No. 3 in the batting order, filling in for Sudharsan.
Why Bumrah Was Rested
Captain Shubman Gill explained that Bumrah was not injured but was rested based on pitch conditions and long-term planning for the series.
“We did get a good break… but the third match being at Lord’s, there might be a little bit more in the wicket, so we thought we’d play him in the third one,” Gill said.
The decision is a calculated one, as India tries to manage Bumrah’s workload across the five-match series.
Washington Over Kuldeep – A Batting Boost
There was speculation that Kuldeep Yadav might be included after his recent form. However, Washington Sundar was chosen instead due to his batting ability.
Gill admitted the team wanted to strengthen the lower order after poor contributions from positions 8 to 11 in the first Test.
“We were very tempted to play him (Kuldeep). But looking at the last match, the lower order did not score many runs,” Gill added.
England Unchanged
England named an unchanged XI, with Jamie Smith continuing as wicketkeeper. This marks the first time since 2017 that England has kept the same team for the first two home Tests of a series.
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The hosts have an impressive record at Edgbaston, having won seven of their last eight Tests here against India.
Playing XIs
England:
Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir
India:
Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Shubman Gill (capt), Rishabh Pant (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
What to Expect
With India trying out a new combination and Bumrah on the bench, the pressure will be on the fresh pace attack to make early breakthroughs. Meanwhile, England will be looking to build on their momentum and extend their lead in the series.
The next few days will test India’s bench strength and planning. Can the new players step up in Bumrah’s absence? All eyes are now on Edgbaston.
Disclaimer: Match details are current as of July 2, 2025, and may change as the series progresses.
