India vs England: Shami urges bowlers to step up and support Jasprit Bumrah

Mohammed Shami, a long-time primary pace option for India in the red-ball format, is witnessing the England tour from the sidelines. The management dropped Shami from the squad for the five-match India vs England Test series due to fitness issues. With doubts lingering over Shami's ability to bowl consistently long spells during the demanding tour, the BCCI decided to look past the seasoned ace. Now, as the opening Test at Headingley has ended in a 5-wicket defeat for the visitors, Shami has pointed out the shortcomings in the Indian bowling unit. While Bumrah remained at the top of his form in Leeds, England managed to negate his threat in the absence of a similarly lethal attack from the other end.

India vs England: Mohammed Shami points out the issues with the bowling order, asks others to learn from Jasprit Bumrah

Mohammed Shami returned to competitive cricket with the Ranji Trophy in 2024, after a break of over a year due to his ankle injury. The injury, picked up by the seamer in the 2023 ODI World Cup semi-final against New Zealand, required surgery and a lengthy rehab. Following his recovery and gradual return to action with domestic cricket, Shami found a spot in the Indian squad for the white-ball series against England at home. Moreover, the seasoned speedster also joined India for the ICC Champions Trophy in Dubai.

The seamer, however, appeared to lack his usual sharpness upon his return following the significant hiatus. Shami also endured a meek and uneventful IPL 2025 season, where he played for Sunrisers Hyderabad and was eventually dropped from the Playing XI. Meanwhile, as India geared up to kick off the new WTC Cycle under the leadership of Shubman Gill, Shami could not find a place in the squad. The pace attack for the five-match India vs England series included Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna alongside the main man, Jasprit Bumrah.

Moreover, with Bumrah confirmed to play only three Tests in England, the management extended a maiden call-up to left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh in the India Test squad. The pace order, furthermore, includes Akash Deep and all-rounders Nitish Kumar Reddy and Shardul Thakur. For the first Test at Headingley, the visitors went with a combination of Bumrah, Siraj, Prasidh, and Shardul. However, none of the bowlers other than Bumrah could make an impact in Leeds.

Despite India hitting five centuries in the match, the visitors lost the contest by 5 wickets. While there were multiple reasons behind India's downfall in the contest, one of the major aspects was the lack of impact made by the bowling attack. Jasprit Bumrah scalped a five-wicket haul in the first innings with little to no support from the other end. Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj struggled to maintain consistent line and length, allowing the English batters to settle in comfortably despite Bumrah maintaining a tight grasp at one end.

The final innings witnessed Prasidh Krishna and Shardul Thakur scalping two wickets each. However, the India vs England match had already slipped out of the team’s hands by then. While Thakur claimed two scalps off consecutive deliveries, his overall numbers in the match remained disappointing. Along with fielding lapses, the lack of support for Bumrah from the other end hurt the visitors significantly in Leeds.

Now, as the team gears up for the second India vs England Test at Edgbaston, Shami has urged the other bowlers to step up. Heading into the contest in Birmingham, a venue where India has never managed to win a Test, Shami advised the bowling group to learn from Bumrah and support him. The seasoned pacer also spoke about how the wickets claimed by Prasidh Krishna and Shardul Thakur on the last day didn’t help India’s case at all.

"In bowling, other Indian bowlers should talk to Bumrah and learn from him. They should talk about planning with him and support him. If they will support Bumrah, then we can easily win the match. If I talk about the first match, then I think we need to do a little work in the bowling," Shami said.

"Shardul Thakur and Prasidh Krishna picked up two wickets each in the 2nd innings, but by the time Shardul dismissed two England batters, the match was out of India’s reach. It is very important to take wickets with the new ball. They must support Bumrah. England won the first Test because we gave too many easy runs. We need to find out how to make our bowling side strong,” he added.

The management asked Harshit Rana, originally part of the touring India A side, to stay back with the main squad for the first Test. Head coach Gautam Gambhir clarified that Rana’s addition was to deal with an injury scare. However, with the player in question recovering in time, Rana’s role in the squad concluded. The young speedster has now returned home, while the Indian squad has departed for Birmingham. With Nitish Kumar Reddy on the bench, it remains to be seen whether Shardul Thakur gets a longer rope in the India Playing XI or is dropped ahead of the next match.