The highly-anticipated England vs India five-match Test series is all set to begin on June 20 at Headingley, Leeds, marking a new era in Indian Test cricket under the leadership of Shubman Gill. With the retirement of senior pros Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, India will rely heavily on its younger core, but one name that still holds immense value in this transition is Jasprit Bumrah.
As India step into this demanding series on English soil, one of their biggest concerns will be managing the fitness and workload of Bumrah, their premier fast bowler. Known for his precision and pace, Bumrah is unlikely to be risked for all five matches in quick succession. Team India will have to use him strategically to ensure both impact and longevity.
Dinesh Karthik predicts Jasprit Bumrah’s likely appearances in the Test series
The question on everyone’s mind now is — which Tests will Bumrah play if he doesn’t feature in all five? Former India cricketer and now commentator Dinesh Karthik has shed light on this on the Sky Sports podcast, predicting that Bumrah will likely feature in three of the five Tests.
“I have a feeling from hearing whatever I heard that he has been planned to play three Test matches. But I have a feeling he will play one, two, and four. These are the numbers that I look at because these are the Tests enough and more breaks,” said Karthik as quoted by ANI.
Karthik further added that Bumrah’s availability for the final Test may come down to the series situation. He said: “When you go to the fourth Test, if you are 2-1 behind or 1-2 ahead, whatever it could be, I wouldn’t be surprised if the fifth Test becomes a bit of a request to him, saying, ‘please, can you think about it’.”
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India’s depth will be tested in the absence of Bumrah
If Bumrah doesn’t play all five matches, his absence will certainly be felt, especially on pitches where seam and swing will be crucial. Bumrah is not just India’s most experienced pacer but also the leader of the attack, capable of delivering breakthroughs with the new and old ball alike.
India do have other pace options such as Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, and Akash Deep, but none carry the experience or intimidation factor of Bumrah. How the team management rotates their pace battery, and how others step up in Bumrah’s absence, will be a key subplot throughout the series.
As the series draws closer, all eyes will be on how India handle Bumrah, both tactically and physically, to maximize his impact without risking burnout.
Also READ: Deep Dasgupta picks India’s playing XI for the first Test against England, no place for Sai Sudharsan
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