In the last few days, reports say that India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah might miss the 2nd Test against England, starting July 2 in Birmingham.
Bumrah bowled 44 overs in the first Test, which India lost despite being in a strong position for most of the first four days. He was clearly India’s best bowler and even took a five-wicket haul in the first innings.
If Bumrah is unavailable, it’s a big blow for India, who are already 0-1 down in the series and now face a major challenge.
There has been talk about bringing Jasprit Bumrah back for the second Test, but before leaving for England, India head coach Gautam Gambhir had already confirmed that Bumrah would miss two of the five Tests due to workload management.
Since the start of 2024, Bumrah has taken 78 wickets in 15 Tests, more than any other Indian pacer. But what’s more striking is the amount of work he’s put in. He has bowled 110.4 overs during this time, the most by any fast bowler in the world.
To compare, Australia’s Mitchell Starc is next on the list with 362.3 overs. England’s Gus Atkinson is second to Bumrah in terms of wickets taken (54) since last year, but he’s bowled only 328 overs.
Among Indian bowlers, Mohammed Siraj has also featured in the same number of matches as Bumrah. However, he has bowled 355.3 overs and taken 14 fewer wickets despite bowling more than Atkinson.
It’s clear that Bumrah has been carrying a heavy load, making his rest a necessary call by the team management.
Most overs bowled by pacers in Tests since January 2024:
- Jasprit Bumrah: 410.4 overs (78 wickets)
- Mitchell Starc: 362.3 overs (48 wickets)
- Pat Cummins: 359.1 overs (51 wickets)
- Mohammed Siraj: 355.3 overs (41 wickets)
- Gus Atkinson: 328 overs (55 wickets)
Among all bowlers, only Ravindra Jadeja has bowled more than 400 overs alongside Jasprit Bumrah, with 400.1 to his name.
With Bumrah likely to miss the next Test, Mohammed Siraj is expected to lead the pace attack at Edgbaston. However, his recent form is slightly worrying. His outing in Headingley wasn’t very impressive, although some bad luck with DRS and dropped catches did play a part.
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