I really worry about India’s bowling without Bumrah: Sanjay Manjrekar

India faces another major dilemma ahead of the second Test at Edgbaston, scheduled to begin on July 2, as Jasprit Bumrah’s availability remains uncertain. The team management had earlier stated that the right-arm pacer would feature in three of the five Tests in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.

Sanjay Manjrekar emphasised that Bumrah’s presence would significantly boost India’s chances. Despite his five-wicket haul in the opening Test at Leeds, India ended up on the losing side, making the upcoming Birmingham Test more crucial.

“When you break it down, he has bowled 42 or 43 (43.4) overs in total in five days, and there’s going to be a break of another few days (between the first and the second Test). So my logic is, talk to him, you know, how are you feeling? Talk to his physiotherapist, his doctor, see him in the nets, and if he’s pretty good, close to 100% fitness, you play him,” Manjrekar said on JioHotstar.

Manjrekar opined that India’s major victories in recent years have come when the bowlers stepped up to rescue the team. Despite India setting a challenging target of 371 runs in the first Test, England chased it comfortably with the help of a brilliant century from Ben Duckett.

“I really worry about our bowling (without Bumrah) unless Kuldeep Yadav comes to India’s rescue. India’s great wins in the last many years have been when the bowlers came to the battles to rescue them. India just didn’t get enough runs but their bowlers bailed them out,” Manjrekar added.

The former cricketer also expressed confidence that Rishabh Pant will continue his fine form in the series, having scored centuries in both innings of the first Test.

“He enjoys batting in Test cricket. (For) any batter who scores two hundreds in Test cricket, it takes a lot out of you mentally, not so much physically. But getting a hundred in the first innings, and 48 hours later, you have the same kind of reserve to get another hundred. That is the hallmark of an exceptional player,” Manjrekar concluded.