Jasprit Bumrah’s absence from the attack after India took the new ball on Day 5 of England’s chase raised fitness concerns.
Jasprit Bumrah Late-Match Absence Raises Eyebrows as England Clinch Historic Chase
India’s premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah was notably absent during the final moments of the Headingley Test on Tuesday, drawing attention as England sealed a five-wicket win with a record 371-run chase. Despite the second new ball being available after the 80th over—a prime opportunity for Bumrah—captain Shubman Gill instead opted for Mohammed Siraj and continued with Ravindra Jadeja from the other end.
The decision backfired quickly. With just 21 runs needed, England’s Jamie Smith launched a brutal assault on Jadeja, smashing 18 runs in one over to finish the match in emphatic fashion. Bumrah, surprisingly, remained off the attack, even as he was seen getting a shoulder massage shortly before the second new ball was taken—briefly raising hopes of a final burst.
His continued absence led to widespread speculation about a possible injury. However, Gill dismissed any fitness concerns in his post-match comments. “No, he’s completely fit. Nothing like that. They were 15 or 20 runs left, so we just wanted to give it to some other bowlers,” Gill told the BBC.
Earlier, England had set the tone with a commanding 188-run opening partnership between Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley. Though Prasidh Krishna sparked brief hope with two quick strikes, and Shardul Thakur delivered a double blow, the visitors failed to maintain pressure. Jadeja eventually removed Ben Stokes, but the calm partnership between Joe Root and Jamie Smith guided England to a comfortable 1-0 series lead.
Will Bumrah play next Test?
When asked about Jasprit Bumrah’s availability for the upcoming second Test at Edgbaston, Shubman Gill remained non-committal. The Indian captain chose not to reveal much, stating that the decision would be made closer to the match based on conditions.
“It’s definitely match-by-match. We’ve got a good break after this match. Once we go to Birmingham and see the wicket, we will see if he’s going to play that one or not,” Gill said.