In terms of thought and the application of his amazing abilities, Bumrah is so far ahead of the pack that he makes the others, particularly his speed teammates, seem dull. In India, Bumrah hasn't posed as much of a threat as he has abroad (we're only talking about very little amounts). Taking advantage of even the smallest bit of support from the tracks where they honed their skills, the now-retired R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, and Washington Sundar have all contributed, either alone or in groups, at different points in their careers.

Bumrah's strength and uniqueness are most apparent and irreplaceable outside the subcontinent, where spin sometimes has little to no impact. The 30-year-old overshadows exceptional players from the opposing team in addition to his own teammates. For example, he was by far the most penetrating bowler in Australia during the winter, from both sides combined, and the Australians had a fantastic attack that included Mitchell Starc, captain Pat Cummins, Scott Boland, off-spinner Nathan Lyon, and Josh Hazlewood.

A previous injury reappeared during that trip Down Under, casting a huge doubt on Bumrah's future. His stress response in his back prevented him from bowling in the last innings of the series in Sydney in January, when Australia was leading India 2-1, and kept him out of the Champions Trophy in Dubai, which India won thanks to its spin wealth and a strong batting lineup. Bumrah made a comeback in the IPL in April, appearing to be unaffected by his absence, but chief selector Ajit Agarkar revealed in May, when the squad for the Test series in England was released, that he would only be playing a maximum of three Test matches.

One of the two potential tests he'll miss is Edgbaston, which starts on Wednesday. Although Bumrah has had adequate rest following his efforts in Leeds, the leadership group believes that India and Bumrah would be better off if he played at Lord's next week, which raises the question of what the best Indian attack without Bumrah is that can take 20 wickets.

Kuldeep Yadav's absence from India's greatest non-Bumrah attack is simply logical. Wickets are the key to winning, regardless of how many runs were scored (and India scored over 800 at Headingley); India must win to tie the series. When Bumrah isn't around, the left-arm wrist-spinner is the most likely to win the match, so Shubman Gill will need to focus on playing him, if only for a while. Clearly, Bumrah's presence would have been beneficial.

In 69 innings spanning 37 tests, Mohammad Siraj has just three five-wicket hauls and 102 wickets. He has demonstrated that he is a skilled No. 2, but insufficient evidence to support taking charge and claiming the top spot. The Hyderabadi is the most devoted gamer out there, but when there are no comparable benefits, a kind heart is simply worth its sentimental worth. Prasidh Krishna, at 29, is only at the start of his Test career; he has given up a lot of runs in his four outings due to the lengths he lapses into, but India has been waiting for a long time for him to break free from his wide range of injuries, making him worth an investment.

Siraj and Prasidh will require backup speed support. It is up for debate whether Shardul Thakur, in his present form, or Nitish Kumar Reddy may be promoted as the third pacer. Akash Deep should enter the picture for this reason. It was really unlucky for Deep to not have been able to start the series in Australia, and it was even worse that he had back spasms that prevented him from playing in Sydney. As Siraj's new-ball partner, he is a fantastic possibility because he is quick, gets the ball moving, and makes things happen.

The optimal combination

With Jadeja as the all-rounder, Siraj, Prasidh, Deep, and Kuldeep should make up the specialized bowling team in a perfect, Bumrah-less universe (we know, we know, how can a Bumrah-less world be ideal?). Although they are both left-arm spinners, Kuldeep and Jadeja have distinct strengths. Jadeja can be relied upon to maintain his end tight and run through his overs at breakneck speed, as he demonstrated in Leeds as well, but he can be deadly if he doesn't continue darting the ball in when the footmarks provide assistance.

The two most successful Test chases in England's history have occurred during the last three years, both against India, in Birmingham (378) in 2022 and in Headingley (371) a week earlier. In the first case, Bumrah served as the captain, and in the second, he failed to take any wickets in the second innings. When he's in the dugout watching, it only serves to illustrate how much harder it will be for the others, but isn't this also a chance for a new hero to step up in a big way?

Read Also: India at Edgbaston: Key Stats, Top Run-Scorers, and Leading Wicket-Takers

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