Bumrah Boosts India's Hopes: Star Pacer Returns to Nets Ahead of Edgbaston Test

Bumrah Back in Action as India Fine-Tunes Bowling Attack for Edgbaston Test

Jasprit Bumrah made a return to training on Saturday, shifting the focus to bowling as Team India intensified preparations for the Edgbaston Test. The star pacer's presence at the nets garnered significant attention, especially with lingering doubts about his availability for the second Test against England.

After a five-wicket defeat at Headingley, which left them trailing 0-1 in the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, India commenced practice on Friday. While the entire squad participated, the absence of Bumrah and fellow pacer Prasidh Krishna from active drills raised concerns about their readiness for the Birmingham Test.

Saturday brought a much-needed boost to India's pace options. Bumrah, Prasidh, and Mohammed Siraj all bowled at the nets, with Siraj continuing his batting practice from Day 1. Their return injected renewed energy into India's preparations as the team seeks to rebound in Birmingham.

Among the batters, Sai Sudharsan, who debuted in the Headingley Test, was the first to practice in the nets on Day 2. Notably absent from Saturday's training were skipper Shubman Gill, vice-captain Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, all of whom had engaged in extensive batting practice on Friday.

While Bumrah's return is encouraging, his inclusion in the Edgbaston XI remains uncertain. Having bowled 44 demanding overs in the series opener, the 31-year-old is scheduled to participate in only three of the five Tests as part of a workload management strategy. Head coach Gautam Gambhir emphasized that the decision on Bumrah's participation will be made on a match-to-match basis, irrespective of the series scoreline.

With bowling now taking center stage in India's practice, the team hopes their key bowlers will be fully prepared as they aim to level the series at Edgbaston.