NEW DELHI: Former India head coach Ravi Shastri, who had sharply criticised the decision to rest Jasprit Bumrah for the second Test at Edgbaston, had to change tune about head coach Gautam Gambhir and his team management - after India’s record-breaking 336-run win over England on Sunday.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Before the match, Shastri expressed disbelief on Sky Cricket, saying, “You have the best fast bowler in the world, and you make him sit out after seven days of rest. It’s something very hard to believe.”
He further underlined the match’s significance, adding, “If you look at the run India has had, this becomes a very, very important Test match.”
However, with stand-in pacer Akash Deep taking a stunning 10-wicket match haul in Bumrah’s place, and Mohammed Siraj chipping in with six wickets in the first innings, India turned the tide in style. The duo picked up 17 of the 20 English wickets as India secured their first-ever Test win at Edgbaston in nine attempts, levelling the series 1-1.
When cameras caught Gambhir smiling post-win, Shastri, in the commentary box, acknowledged the turnaround: “Don’t see that smile too often, but he deserves every bit of it. There is no better feeling for a coach than when you bounce back almost immediately to keep the series alive.”
Captain Shubman Gill also lavished praise on his bowlers.
“Akash Deep bowled with so much heart. The areas and lengths he hit, getting the ball to move both ways on such a wicket, was just magnificent,” Gill said. He also confirmed that Bumrah will return for the third Test at Lord’s, beginning July 10.
India’s bold selection calls - which also included dropping Sai Sudharsan and Shardul Thakur - paid off handsomely, with the revamped lineup delivering under pressure and reigniting the five-Test series.
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