Bumrah Boosts India's Hopes, Returns to Bowling Practice Ahead of Edgbaston Test

Bumrah Back in Action as India Intensifies Bowling Practice for Edgbaston Test

Jasprit Bumrah made a return to training on Saturday, shifting the focus to bowling drills as Team India continued its preparations for the Edgbaston Test. The star pacer's presence in the nets was closely observed, especially with questions surrounding his participation in the second Test against England.

Following a five-wicket defeat at Headingley, which put them 0-1 down in the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, India started practice on Friday. While the entire squad participated, Bumrah and fellow pacer Prasidh Krishna were absent from active drills, leading to speculation about their readiness for the Birmingham Test.

However, Saturday brought a positive development for India's pace attack. Bumrah, Prasidh, and Mohammed Siraj all bowled in the nets, with Siraj continuing his batting practice from the previous day. Their return to bowling added intensity to India's preparations as they aim to recover 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 captain Shubman Gill, vice-captain Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and Yashasvi Jaiswal. All four had engaged in extensive batting practice on Friday, with Gill and Pant spending considerable time in the nets.

While Bumrah's return is encouraging, his inclusion in the Edgbaston XI remains uncertain. He bowled 44 overs in the series opener and is scheduled to play in only three of the five Tests as part of workload management. Head coach Gautam Gambhir stated after the Headingley loss that the decision on Bumrah's participation will be made on a match-to-match basis, regardless of the series situation.

With bowling now a primary focus of India's practice, the team hopes its key bowlers will be ready to help secure a series-levelling victory at Edgbaston.