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AB De Villiers Reacts To Bumrah’s Likely Absence From 2nd Test: "If It Was Mismanagement..."

Sakshi Sharma

Jasprit Bumrah in 1st Test (Source:@MrunalKSays,x.com)Jasprit Bumrah in 1st Test (Source:@MrunalKSays,x.com)

Ahead of the 2nd Test between India and England, premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is set to be rested as part of India’s strategic workload management plan. The five-match Test series resumes on July 2 at Edgbaston, Birmingham, but Bumrah will likely not be included in the playing XI. The right-arm quick is expected to return for the 3rd Test at Lord’s, scheduled from July 10 to 14.

India had earlier confirmed that Bumrah would not play the entire Test series, and would be available for only three of the five matches. The decision is aimed at safeguarding Bumrah’s long-term fitness, given his history of injuries and a physically demanding international calendar.

AB de Villiers Supports Bumrah’s Rest 

Former South African captain AB de Villiers has lent his support to India’s decision, drawing comparisons to how Dale Steyn, South Africa’s ace pacer, was managed during his prime. Speaking on his YouTube channel, de Villiers said:

"That’s what we used to do with Dale (Steyn). Rest him in lesser important T20 and ODI series and get him ready for the big Test series against Australia, England, and India away from home… New Zealand to a certain extent, depending on the rankings at that time," de Villiers said on his YouTube channel.

Steyn, who was known for his express pace and match-winning spells, suffered a career-altering shoulder injury in 2015. Although he returned to Test cricket in 2019, he only played eight more Tests before retiring. De Villiers hinted that similar caution is being exercised with Bumrah, given his injury history.

"So, I don’t know if it was mismanagement or perhaps because he recently got back from injury, sort of saw the IPL as the warmup phase. Maybe, went to the surgeon, who let him know, ‘You can’t play the five Test matches.’ So, I mean you got to respect that, and at the end of the day, it’s up to Team India to sort of manage him well. It doesn’t get bigger than that, guys, except for maybe the WTC final."

Jasprit Bumrah’s Injury Timeline

Since making his Test debut in 2018, Jasprit Bumrah has missed numerous matches due to injury, particularly back issues. He was ruled out of the T20 World Cup 2022 due to a stress reaction in his lower back. After undergoing surgery, he returned in 2023 and played a crucial role in India’s ODI World Cup campaign.

Bumrah also featured prominently in India’s 2024 T20 World Cup-winning squad. However, during the fifth Test of the Australia tour earlier in 2025, he sustained another back injury, which ruled him out of the Champions Trophy 2025.

England currently leads the series 1-0 after their win in Leeds. The 2nd Test in Birmingham begins on July 2, with India likely to bring in Arshdeep Singh or Kuldeep Yadav as Bumrah's replacement.