On the eve of the second Test in the present five-match series between England and India, Indian red-ball skipper Shubman Gill spoke about Jasprit Bumrah‘s availability. The game is set to begin on July 2 at Edgaston. He stated that the final XI will be determined when management and him agree on the strategies and gameplan to be used based on how the pitch looks on the first day.
“Jasprit Bumrah is certainly available. We just need to observe how we manage his workload during the future tests. We are looking for the optimum combination that will allow us to capture 20 wickets while still scoring runs on this type of track. “We will take a final look at the wicket today (July 1) and then decide on our final combination for tomorrow,” Gill stated.
He also dismissed any worries about the legitimacy of any member of the team who played in the first Test, conceding that the present group of players was the best they could find.
“It’s definitely difficult. However, the team we selected consists of India’s best players. We have chosen the top 15-16 players in India. It is not an insurmountable assignment, as the other bowlers have also done well. We have a good talent pool, which is the fundamental basis for our success internationally,” Gill noted.
Shubman Gill underlined that the management chose to take Bumrah one game at a time rather than pre-plan the games in which he would definitely play.
“It was not predetermined because there was a break between the first and second tests. If the first two tests were held concurrently and there was a gap, the outcome would have been predetermined. But, because there was a pause, we decided to observe how the tests went. “We didn’t want to go into the series with preconceived notions,” he said.
Edgbaston has not been a happy hunting ground for India in Tests, as they have lost seven of the eight Tests they have played there. Gill & Co. would like to turn things around and level the series.
India
