India has announced significant changes to its playing XI for the second Test against England at Edgbaston in Birmingham. The most notable adjustment is the resting of premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah as part of workload management, with Akash Deep stepping in to fill his shoes. Alongside this enforced change, Shubman Gill, captaining India, has made two further alterations to the team following their defeat in the first Test at Headingley. Nitish Kumar Reddy replaces Sai Sudharsan, and Washington Sundar comes in for Shardul Thakur.

The decision to rest Bumrah comes as a surprise to some, especially after his impressive performance in the first Test, where he picked up a five-wicket haul in the first innings. However, the team management has emphasized the importance of managing his workload, especially with the third Test at Lord's on the horizon. Gill acknowledged that Bumrah is available but that the decision was made with an eye toward the third test. The rationale is that the Lord's pitch might offer more assistance to fast bowlers, making Bumrah's presence crucial for that match.

Akash Deep, Bumrah's replacement, is a promising Bengal pacer eager to make an impact. The inclusion of Nitish Kumar Reddy, who replaces Sai Sudharsan, adds another dimension to the team with his all-rounding abilities. Reddy is a batting all-rounder who can also contribute with medium-pace bowling. Washington Sundar's inclusion in place of Shardul Thakur further strengthens the all-rounder contingent in the team, offering both batting depth and spin-bowling options.

These changes indicate a strategic shift from India, prioritizing batting depth and multi-dimensional players. The inclusion of both Reddy and Washington, alongside Ravindra Jadeja, provides Gill with a trio of all-rounders to support the bowling attack, which will be spearheaded by Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna, along with Akash Deep.

Shubman Gill admitted he would have bowled first, acknowledging any early juice in the wicket would be gone by Day 2. He also noted the difficulty of managing a second spinner on the first day.

England, on the other hand, has decided to field an unchanged XI after their convincing five-wicket victory at Headingley. England won the toss and elected to bowl first in the second Test at Edgbaston.

India Playing XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.

England Playing XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir.

The series forms part of the 2025–2027 ICC World Test Championship.