Mark Butcher, a former cricket player for England, feels that Indian pace leader Jasprit Bumrah has to play in the second Test match at Edgbaston, which begins on July 2. Butcher emphasised how crucial Bumrah’s inclusion in the starting lineup is, especially as India is now behind 0-1 in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series.
Bumrah’s inclusion is still up in the air, though, as team management keeps an eye on his workload. Bumrah had predicted before the series that he would probably only play in three of the five Test matches. According to numerous reports, the pacer may choose to play in the third Test at Lord’s instead of the Edgbaston Test.
“Whether or not this is one of his three Test matches, Bumrah will be a major discussion topic.
It must be, in my opinion, it must be. He plays six days after Headingley, down 1-0. On the Wisden Cricket Weekly podcast, Butcher stated, “I know he wants to play at Lord’s, but the needs of the team and the series are more important than his wish to play a Test at Lord’s.”
“And who knows, he might get through this one okay and be fine for Lord’s, and then you take your chances at the back-end,” he said.
Add Arshdeep and Kuldeep to the XI: Butcher
Butcher has advised India to make significant changes for the second Test match against England, proposing to replace Prasidh Krishna and Shardul Thakur with pacer Arshdeep Singh and left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav.
Having taken 21 wickets at an average of 22.28 in six Test matches, Kuldeep has an outstanding record against England. Arshdeep, however, has not yet made his format debut but is thought to be a promising alternative because to his left-arm angle and ability to swing the ball in English conditions.
“First and foremost, you attempt to select bowlers that the opposition—England, with their tendency for making shots—would least like, depending on your lineup. Mid- to low-eighties seam bowlers would be their favourite. If you have a left-arm leg spin, which India does, they would like it far less than that. That’s where we’d start,” Butcher said.
“A bowler with a left-arm swing might potentially be a possibility. I believe Prasidh Krishna was found wanting if Arshdeep [Singh] enters the picture. You take the cards where they fall with your batting and go for Siraj, Bumrah, Arshdeep, Kuldeep, and Jadeja if you can manage it. “Just because,” he stated at the time, during the first Test match, “I didn’t see how Shardul would score enough runs to compensate for his lack of ball-handling ability.”
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