Bumrah 'technically' available for 2nd Test, says Ryan Ten Doeschate but India yet to take the final call

Media, fans, the opposition and probably the entire world had known a month before the start of India's tour of England that their lead bowler and spearhead, Jasprit Bumrah, was going to play just three out of the five Test matches in the whole series. With one game done, the onus is now on the team management and Bumrah to chalk out which other two games he'd be playing. There was a week's gap between the first two Tests but the third one is at Lord's. Who'd want to miss that?

India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate mentioned that Bumrah is fit and available for the second Test at Edgbaston but kept the cards close to his chest on whether he would actually play or not. "Yeah, he's available for the game, obviously. We know from the start he's only going to play three out of the five. He's obviously had eight days to recover from the last Test. But given conditions and workload and how we think we can best manage for the next four games, we haven't made a call on that," ten Doeschate told the reporters two



days out from the Birmingham clash.

"We're going to see what the other guys are with their workload as well. So technically, yes, he's available. But we haven't made a decision on whether he's going to play or not yet," Doeschate added. Since the bar is set at three, Ten Doeschate also mentioned that they have deferred the decision to take the pitch into account as well. 

"With Bumrah, he is ready to play. So, like I said in the very first question, it's how we manage these four tests. So if we feel like there's value in playing him in this Test, we'll make that call at the very last minute. But I'm talking about whether, how the pitch is going to play. Are we better off holding him back for Lord's and maybe Manchester or the Oval? So it's all those factors," he further said.

Headingley was pretty flat, which showed in the result with England chasing down 371 without much discomfort but both teams will be hoping for a little more assistance in Birmingham.