The former Indian Team head coach Ravi Shastri gives a major reality check to Team India ahead of 2nd Test at Birmingham. The reality check is about star Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah’s exclusion from the 2nd test. Ahead of the five-match Test series, Bumrah said that he might play just three games in the 5-match Test series. The former cricketer deduced that considering the fact that he will be willing to play at Lord’s, Bumrah is likely to be rested for the next match at Edgbaston.
Following India’s loss against England in the first Test, Shastri said that India could be 2-0 down if Bumrah is rested for the next game.
In a conversation with Sky Sports Cricket, Shastri said “Bumrah said he’ll play three Test matches. Now, which of the three he’ll play, that’s, you know, another question to be asked. I think if he takes a break, it’ll be the next one, because he’ll definitely want to play at Lord’s, right? And there’s a break, and then you go into Lord’s, then there’s a break, and then there’s a choice between Manchester and the same. It could be 2-0 down. So that is the problem. I think he has got to play,”
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Shastri Urges India To Bounce Back
Shastri also said that India need to bounce back in the 2nd Test and considering the fact that India lost their last two Test series against New Zealand and Australia, a loss against England can be bad news for them.
“It will be a tough pill to swallow because I was just telling him, back in the commentary box, that we lost 3-0 against New Zealand, lost a series in Australia. Now, this is a tough series. You had your opportunity to go one up here, you know, with England having problems with their bowling attack, the injuries that they have. And you’ve blown it. And now it’s catch-up time.”
“You’re going to go and show some real character. And the knockout punch has to come in the very next Test match. If that doesn’t happen, then you’re really looking down. So whenever there’s a counter punch, you’re down. That has to happen quite immediately. So they have to realise that,” he said.
The 2nd Test match of the 5-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy will be played in 2nd July.
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