Shubman Gill, Gautam Gambhir under fire as Bumrah sits out of Edgbaston Test

Not that this needs specific mention after the opening Test, the stakes are high as India face off against England at Edgbaston. The second India vs England Test holds the opportunity for the visitors to level the series before the equation grows precarious in the five-match setting. The anticipation was for India to play a full-strengthened team as they bid for their first-ever Test win at Edgbaston. However, the workload management of Jasprit Bumrah earned priority as Akash Deep replaced the ace pacer in the Playing XI for the Edgbaston Test. However, the move has not gone down well with the fraternity, which has taken aim at captain Shubman Gill and the head coach Gautam Gambhir for the move.

Coming to play the Edgbaston Test, the visitors fielded as many as three changes in the India Playing XI. The confusion around Bumrah's availability finally concluded as Shubman Gill confirmed at the toss that the speedster is rested in Birmingham. Meanwhile, the guests dropped pace all-rounder Shardul Thakur and the young batter Sai Sudharsan from the combination. Another shocking move staged the management overlooking Kuldeep Yadav and calling in Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar into the team instead.

A part of the commentary panel for the India vs England series, former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri didn't take much time before he criticised India's move. The former Indian captain took aim at Gill's decision to drop Jasprit Bumrah. It's just stating facts when one says that India's chances to win in England rely largely, if not entirely, on Bumrah. And yet, the pacer's rest was placed ahead of the team's need in Birmingham. Ahead of the match, Shubman Gill confirmed that Bumrah was available for selection. However, Gill justified the move by explaining that with the next match scheduled at Lord's, the team is interested in playing Bumrah at a wicket that provides a bit more action to the speedster.

Ravi Shastri, however, laid bare the shortcomings of their approach. Terming the Edgbaston Test as a must-win affair, Shastri said that the match-winner was needed in the India Playing XI. The former head coach highlighted that Bumrah had over a week to recover after the first India vs England Test at Headingley. Moreover, Shastri explained that the decision to play Bumrah should rest entirely in the hands of the captain and head coach of the team.

“You have the best fast bowler in the world and you make him sit out after seven days of rest. That is something very hard to believe,” said Shastri following the toss in Birmingham.

"Very strange and baffling as far as I'm concerned. If he's fit to play, he should play," Shastri resumed on the topic during the match. "I mean, that decision should be entirely in the hands of the captain and the head coach. Not the entire coaching staff, but only the head coach and the captain. A week between Test matches, this is an important Test match, a must-win game for India. If they have to stay alive in the series, then you need your premier fast bowler playing. And no ifs and buts, he should have been playing," Shastri added.