India ended the first day of the second Test against England in a strong position, reaching 310-5 at Edgbaston, but the surprising decision to rest premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah dominated discussions. After losing the first Test at Headingley, India made three changes to their lineup, with Bumrah's omission being the most talked about.
India's team management decided to rest Bumrah as part of his workload management, with Akash Deep taking his place in the playing XI. Shubman Gill explained at the toss that Bumrah is expected to return for the third Test at Lord's, where the conditions are likely to favor seam bowlers. Gill stated, "This is an important match for us, but the third Test match is at Lord's and there may be something more in the wicket and we thought we will play him there". Before the series, it was indicated that Bumrah, returning from a back injury, would likely play only three of the five tests to manage his fitness.
The decision to rest Bumrah, currently the world's top-ranked bowler, has drawn criticism from fans and former players. Former India coach Ravi Shastri expressed his surprise, questioning the logic of resting Bumrah after a week's rest between the first two Tests. Speaking to Sky Sports Cricket, Shastri said, "If you look at the run India has had in Tests, this becomes a very, very important Test match... You have the best fast bowler in the world and you make him sit out after seven days of rest. It is something very hard to believe". Former England captain Michael Atherton echoed Shastri's sentiment, calling it a "very strange decision" to rest their best fast bowler in a must-win match.
Former England fast bowler Stuart Broad found Bumrah's omission surprising, and also questioned Bumrah making public his plan to only play three of the five matches. Broad felt that this plan should have been kept secret.
Despite the controversy surrounding Bumrah's absence, India had a strong showing on the first day. After England won the toss and elected to bowl, Shubman Gill led the way with an unbeaten century (114*). Yashasvi Jaiswal also contributed significantly with 87 runs. India made three changes to the side beaten at Headingley, with Akash Deep replacing Bumrah, Nitish Kumar Reddy coming in for Sai Sudharsan, and Washington Sundar replacing Shardul Thakur. Karun Nair, who batted at six at Headingley, was promoted to No. 3 in the order. England, on the other hand, opted for an unchanged team.
