‘Very strange and baffling’ – Ravi Shastri slams Shubman Gill, Gautam Gambhir for resting Jasprit Bumrah in Edgbaston Test

Reports turned out to be true as India rested their talismanic seamer, Jasprit Bumrah, in the second Test, which commenced on Wednesday, July 2, at Edgbaston, Birmingham. However, this decision has been met with immense criticism, with Ravi Shastri being one of the first ex-cricketers to lambast Gautam Gambhir and Co.

While analysing the playing XI after the toss, former India head coach Shastri failed to fathom why India decided to rest their best fast bowler, Bumrah, even when there was a seven-day break before the second Test.

“You have the best fast bowler in the world, and you make him sit out after seven days of rest. That is something very hard to believe,” said Shastri while speaking on Sky Sports.

The former India all-rounder was also part of the commentary team, along with former England skipper Michael Atherton, when the first ball of the match was about to be bowled.

“It seems a very strange decision to me, Ravi,” said Atherton on commentary. Shastri took the microphone and didn’t mince his words while criticising the Indian captain and head coach. He said that if Bumrah is fit, he should have played.

“Very strange and baffling as far as I’m concerned. If he’s fit to play, he should play,” an irate Shastri said on live broadcast.

“I mean, that decision should be entirely in the hands of the captain and the coaching staff and the head coach. Not the coaching staff, the head coach and the captain. And like you mentioned, a week between test matches, this is an important test match, a must-win game for India. If they have to stay alive in the series, then you need your premier fast bowler playing. And no ifs and buts, he should have been playing,” Shastri said.

India make three changes in Edgbaston Test

Bumrah has been replaced by Bengal seamer Akash Deep. Meanwhile, Shardul Thakur and Sai Sudharsan have made way for Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar.

England, on the other hand, announced their lineup on Monday, June 30. They have stuck to the same playing XI that helped them win the first Test at Headingley by five wickets.