India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate confirms Jasprit Bumrah is available but a last-minute decision will be made on his Edgbaston Test participation due to workload management. With team reshuffling in slips and bowling combinations under review, India considers two spinners and Nitish Reddy for the second Test against England.
India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has said that a final decision on Jasprit Bumrah’s inclusion in the second Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Test against England will be made at the very last minute. The match, scheduled to begin on July 2 at Edgbaston, sees India pondering team balance, weather conditions, and player workload as key factors for selection.
Bumrah, who returned to form with a five-wicket haul in the previous Test at Headingley, remains available for selection but is being closely monitored due to workload management. According to ten Doeschate, the team had already planned for Bumrah to play only three out of the five Tests in this series.
“He’s available for the game, obviously. We know from the start he’s only going to play three out of five. He’s had eight days to recover from the last Test,” ten Doeschate said during a press conference on Monday.
He added, “But given the conditions, workload, and how we think we can best manage the remaining four games, we haven’t made a call yet. Technically, yes, he’s available. But the final decision will depend on many factors.”
Bumrah has been active in training, alternating between intense bowling spells and strategic discussions with head coach Gautam Gambhir and fellow teammates. However, ten Doeschate emphasized that his fitness is not the concern — rather, the objective is to optimize his availability across the series.
“If we feel there’s value in playing him at Edgbaston, we’ll go for it. But the pitch, potential weather interruptions, and long-term plans for Lord’s and Manchester are all being considered,” he said.
Meanwhile, changes in India’s slip cordon were noted during practice sessions. The visitors dropped six catches in their five-wicket loss at Headingley, with opener Yashasvi Jaiswal spilling four chances. In response, India is reshuffling the close-catching fielders. Karun Nair was seen at first slip, KL Rahul at second, and Shubman Gill at third. In place of Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan and Nitish Kumar Reddy took over the fourth slip and gully positions.
“Yashasvi has been a good catcher, but his confidence needs managing. His hands are sore, and sometimes giving a player a break helps more than pushing him further,” ten Doeschate explained. “Versatility in close catching is essential, especially if we play two spinners.”
India is seriously considering playing two spinners at Edgbaston, given the dry nature of the pitch. Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav are both in contention, with Sundar’s batting skills possibly giving him the edge.
“There’s a strong chance we’ll go with two spinners. All are bowling well, but Washi adds depth with the bat too. It’s a matter of balancing attack with batting depth,” said ten Doeschate. “The pitch is grassy on top but dry underneath. Rain is also forecast for days 1, 4, and 5, so we’re juggling options.”
Another interesting selection dilemma surrounds the inclusion of seam-batting all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy. With Shardul Thakur’s place under scrutiny after the previous loss, Reddy might get the nod.
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“He’s very close to playing. He was fantastic in Australia and brings strong batting value. We’re looking at ways to bring a batting all-rounder in. Nitish is the best option we have in that role right now,” ten Doeschate said.
With the Test series finely poised and India aiming to bounce back after the Leeds defeat, the final team composition at Edgbaston could be a crucial turning point. As the rain threatens to interrupt play and selection puzzles remain unresolved, all eyes are now on whether Bumrah will feature in what could be a pivotal match of the series.
