India’s narrow defeat in the first Test against England has left fans and experts alike with more questions than answers. Among the many talking points—team selection, coaching strategies, a faltering tail, and an underwhelming bowling attack—one concern stands out sharply: Jasprit Bumrah’s absence from action when it mattered the most.
🏏 The Missing Spell That Changed the Game
On the last day of the Test, with India desperate for wickets to clinch a win, all eyes were on Bumrah—the team’s ace pacer who had taken a five-wicket haul in the first innings. Yet, to everyone’s surprise, Bumrah did not bowl in the second and final session, even when the new ball was taken.
Instead, Mohammed Siraj continued from one end, and Bumrah remained on the field but never took up the ball. This was especially baffling given that the pitch had begun to offer uneven bounce, and Bumrah’s deadly reverse swing was expected to rattle the English lower order.
🤕 Fitness Mystery
Although captain Shubman Gill clarified post-match that Bumrah was “fit”, the lack of bowling from him tells a different story. Was he being protected due to a niggle, or was it a tactical blunder from the team management? No official statement has been made from head coach Gautam Gambhir or the BCCI about any injury concerns.
Sources close to the team remain tight-lipped, but murmurs have begun to grow: if Bumrah was fit, why didn’t he bowl when India needed him the most?
❓Will Bumrah Play the Second Test?
As of now, there’s no official word from the team management or medical staff on Bumrah’s status for the second Test. If he is indeed carrying a minor injury or being rested, a decision will likely be taken closer to match day after fitness assessments.
For now, all India can do is hope that Bumrah is truly fit, not just present. Because in tight matches like these, one spell from Bumrah can be the difference between heartbreak and victory.
