Bumrah Returns to Bowling Practice as India Gears Up for Edgbaston Test OR India Boosted as Bumrah Bowls in Nets Ahead of Second Test Against England OR Bumrah Back in Action: India Steps Up Bowling Practice for Edgbaston Showdown

Bumrah Back in Action as India Intensifies Bowling Drills

Jasprit Bumrah made a return to training on Saturday, shifting the focus to bowling as Team India prepared for the Edgbaston Test.

The star pacer's presence at the nets was a major point of interest, especially given the lingering questions about his availability for the second Test against England. He had skipped the opening session on Friday.

India, currently trailing 0-1 in the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy following a five-wicket defeat at Headingley, started their preparations on Friday with the full squad present. However, the absence of Bumrah and fellow pacer Prasidh Krishna from active drills raised concerns about their readiness for the Birmingham Test.

Saturday brought a much-needed boost to India's pace attack. Bumrah, Prasidh, and Mohammed Siraj all bowled at the nets. Siraj also continued the batting practice he started on Day 1. Their return to bowling added intensity to India's preparations as the team seeks to rebound in Birmingham.

Among the batters, Sai Sudharsan, who debuted in the Headingley Test, was the first to practice in the nets on Day 2. Key players like skipper Shubman Gill, vice-captain Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and Yashasvi Jaiswal were absent from Saturday's training. All four had engaged in extensive batting practice on Friday, with Gill and Pant spending considerable time in the nets.

While Bumrah's return is encouraging, his inclusion in the Edgbaston XI remains uncertain. The 31-year-old bowled 44 overs in the series opener and is scheduled to play in only three of the five Tests as part of a workload management strategy. Head coach Gautam Gambhir emphasized after the Headingley loss that the decision on Bumrah's participation will be made on a match-to-match basis, regardless of the series score.

With bowling now taking center stage in India's practice sessions, the team hopes that their key bowlers will be ready for battle as they aim to level the series at Edgbaston.