New Delhi: When it comes to relying on their top player, India is the most reliant side in international cricket. It might be a bit excessive, but when a team is certain of wickets at an average (wickets by runs) of 19.60 and a strike rate (wickets by balls bowled) of 42.3, Jasprit Bumrah's typical returns, it is reasonable to expect that the absence will be more painful than normal.

The restricted format of twenty20 and one-day internationals allows teams to conceal the holes. Someone else can take the star's place and get through the overs in some way. However, in Test cricket, quality is important.

Runs are not what is needed. In Headingley, India acquired a large number of them. However, India's bowlers were unable to take 20 wickets, whereas England did. And now they might have to try to do that in Birmingham, presumably without Bumrah, the guy who is head and shoulder above all the other bowlers in the series.

We still don't know if Bumrah will play or not, despite all the debate. However, there are moments when someone's absence might be just as motivating as their presence; consider India's historic win at the Gabba in 2021. Whatever the case, India will hope that the claim is partially true.

India would love to have their best bowler playing in the second Test, considering they are currently 0-1 behind in the series. Who wants to lose the first two Tests of a five-match series, after all, but there's the workload to deal with.

On Tuesday, captain Shubman Gill said, "Bumrah is certainly available," adding that, "We are simply going to see how to manage his workload in the upcoming Test matches. And yes, on such wickets, we are attempting to strike the ideal balance between taking 20 wickets and scoring runs. We simply believed that after arriving on the ground, we would take one last look today to see what combination we want to use tomorrow.

The only break in the chaos at Headingley, where the two sides scored a combined 1,673 runs, the most ever in a Test match between England and India, was when Bumrah would pause before delivering the ball.

India's history at Edgbaston is dismal; they have lost seven of the eight games they have played there, with one tie. Although the weather has been hot and dry in the run-up to the game beginning on Thursday, the character of the wicket has changed. One of the reasons why India is thinking about using two spinners is because they felt that spin allowed them to maintain greater command over the game at Headingley than speed.

The question then becomes, who should be the second spinner? It has been speculated that Washington Sundar's superior batting skills may give him the advantage over Kuldeep Yadav, a wrist spinner.

Although the shift appears to strengthen India's weak lower order, at what price? Kuldeep's cunning may be just as valuable as Sundar's runs, but that judgment will depend on the lineup that India chooses to use given how aggressively England bats.

"A solid combination would be if we could go with four or five premier bowlers with a sixth bowling option and have batting to seven or eight," Gill said.

India's issue

When Bumrah was chosen for the series, India captain Gautam Gambhir and Gill were aware of what they were getting. They were aware that he would need supervision, but now they must choose between letting him play right now or keeping him for later.

For the time being, England is content to watch the spectacle.

"India's issue to handle is Bumrah. I am the captain of the English team. When asked if Bumrah's absence from the second test might benefit England, Ben Stokes responded, "Let India decide what they want to do and what they want to say publicly."

Bumrah's subtle power is irreplaceable. Although he has an impact on every aspect of his surroundings, India needs the other bowlers to improve in order to prosper. The celebrity will require the help of some angels.

If the assault leaks runs as it did at Headingley, India will be in trouble whether Bumrah is there or not. If Bumrah doesn't play, they may turn to Arshdeep Singh for his ability to swing the ball or Akash Deep for the Mohammed Shami-like consistency he can offer.

Siraj will need to discover his best self. Although he has heart, he won't be able to win games in India with that alone. Being the big brother to the other pacers is a big responsibility if Bumrah doesn't play.

Edgbaston is known to be a bowl-first surface. Although there is some rain predicted, the venue has seen an average of 30.00 for quicks and 44.45 for spinners over the past ten years. For this reason, a pitcher who breaks the pattern may be the game-changer in a contest that is anticipated to be dominated by the bat.

From India's viewpoint, it might be Bumrah, or, well, anybody will do.

Read Also: Indian Team’s Movements Restricted After Security Alert at Edgbaston

Get the latest Bollywood entertainment news, trending celebrity news, latest celebrity news, new movie reviews, latest entertainment news, latest Bollywood news, and Bollywood celebrity fashion & style updates!

HOW DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE? CHOOSE YOUR EMOTICON!