Mumbai Indians nearly paired Jasprit Bumrah and Jofra Archer three years ago in the IPL as the most intriguing fast bowling tag team to watch, and the one that opposing batsmen feared the most. The arrangement never materialized, as fate would have it. Their susceptible to injuries bodies are to blame.

There is a high possibility that two top pacers will miss one other once more, even if England picked Archer for their team for the second Test at Edgbaston on Thursday and Bumrah is likely to be rested. However, there is still hope that it will occur at some time.

The five-Test series, which began with the hosts taking the lead through a quick fourth-innings run chase on the fifth day in Leeds, could be further heated by the Boom and Jofra show, which is lacking some star power in the Indian batting lineup.

In IPL cricket, Archer and Bumrah have competed against each other in different uniforms, but they have only ever met twice in Test matches. This occurred in 2021, during the spin-friendly weather in Chennai and Ahmedabad.

It may be an inspiring experience to witness the two pacers, both of whom are able to generate a high bounce or deliver toe-crushing yorkers from deceptive short run ups. The format, which needs all the assistance it can get, might be revitalized by simply watching them perform at their best in front of sold-out crowds in England.

It's a chance for the two skilled bowlers to demonstrate their diverse talents. They are both well versed in the peculiarities of the Dukes ball—more seam than swing to start, then a window to manipulate it in the air until it softens, and the skill of generating movement as the weather shifts. The addition of Archer will undoubtedly put the Indian batting lineup to the test, but it may also boost Bumrah's competitive spirit and give him more energy.

In Edgbaston, Bumrah might relax.

But until at least the third Test at Lord's, supporters might have to hold out a bit longer for the pair's highly anticipated showdown. The pre-series strategy, as far as one can tell, was for Bumrah to participate in alternate Test matches, unless the Indian squad management is pulling a prank on everyone.

It is well known that the Indian speedster, who withdrew from the captaincy competition well in advance of the series in order to handle his workload, spoke with the team management about the possibility of him playing at Lord's. With such little turnaround time, it's still improbable that Bumrah will participate in both the second and third Tests. In addition, the Indian think tank might desire Bumrah's expertise in handling the significant slope at Lord's.

Despite having to choose his games after his most recent episode of back discomfort during the Sydney Test in January, Bumrah has still managed to establish himself as the top fast bowler of his era.

Archer's Test career has been restricted to 13 games over six years due to a number of injuries, some of which were unusual and others more severe. In addition to a prior glass cut from a shattered fish tank, he has experienced a back stress fracture, a worrying elbow problem, and, more recently, a kitchen knife cut.

When he arrived at Sussex Cricket last Sunday to trial his red ball workload for the county, he said, "I'm glad to simply finish a day of four-day cricket. The last time I played (2021), I only made it to tea, so I'm glad to go all the way."

"I felt like, 'Jesus, time to come off now!' when the scoreboard reached 50 overs, but it wasn't too bad. It was acceptable to do it session by session.

Therefore, experts like former England captain Michael Vaughan have advised that Archer participate in another county game to ensure that he is able to handle the rigors of Test cricket upon his comeback.

The weight of bowling

The presence of both Archer and Bumrah lends a great deal of respectability to their respective bowling assaults. With Ben Stokes standing out from the pack with his brief bursts, not even the home team's pacers were very menacing in the series opener at Leeds.

On the batting-friendly pitch, Brydon Carse didn't appear to be very dangerous, Josh Tongue mostly took care of the Indian tailenders with his straight bowling, and Chris Woakes only managed to take one wicket. England might use Archer's inspired spells if it persists in using lifeless pitches as a template to bring India down.

During the first innings at Leeds, Bumrah was India's standout performer. In the second innings, he had a rare game in which he didn't take a wicket, but he still displayed the bowling control that was noticeably absent from the majority of India's pacers. India seems to enter the game when Bumrah is performing. It is sufficient justification to challenge the home side by throwing punches against their prolific openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett while the wood is over Joe Root.

India will have to find alternatives in the two Test matches Bumrah would miss in the series. They will probably introduce Kuldeep Yadav's mystery to provide England with something to ponder, regardless of whether they are seeking Akash Deep's control or Arshdeep Singh's unique perspective.

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