“You may have to think twice” - Ravi Shastri’s huge statement on Jasprit Bumrah after ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test
Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri believes the side may reconsider their plan of resting ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah for the second Test against England after losing the series opener by five wickets. Despite an impressive showing in the first four days of the Leeds Test, India failed to defend 371 on the final day to fall 0-1 down in the best-of-five series.
Bumrah was India's lone warrior in the bowling department, with match figures of 5/140 in 43.4 overs. However, with his injury history in mind, India had decided pre-series that the veteran pacer would play only three out of the five Tests in the England series.
Yet, with a 0-1 deficit and the struggles of the other bowlers facing them, Team India could be in a conundrum over Bumrah's participation in the second Test.
Talking about the same after the first Test, Shastri told Sky Sports:
"If he (Bumrah )was looking at a rest you may have to think twice. If you don't have him and then go 2-0 down it could be an uphill task."
Bumrah playing back-to-back Tests could be aided by the second Test at Edgbaston starting only after a week on July 2.
"This will be a tough pill for India to swallow" - Ravi Shastri
Ravi Shastri feels Team India would be shattered at losing the first Test at Leeds, considering the number of opportunities they had to take control of the contest. The visitors saw as many as five centuries from their batters and posted a combined 835 runs across the two innings.
Yet, they allowed England to comfortably chase 371 on the final day with five wickets remaining.
"This will be a tough pill for India to swallow. You don't get in positions like this very often and blow it from there. They had a chance to take England out of the contest and dictate terms. They have to learn and they need more bottle from the tail, for them to be stubborn and put a price tag on their wicket," said Shastri (via the aforementioned source).
India missed out on seizing control in both batting innings with lower-order collapses of 41/7 and 31/6, respectively. Shubman Gill's men also dropped several straightforward catches in both innings, resulting in the England batters erasing India's first innings lead to only six and chasing down 371 with ease in the final innings.