Former India head coach Ravi Shastri expressed disbelief at India’s decision to rest a fully fit Jasprit Bumrah from the second Test against England, asserting that the pace spearhead should not have been given the option to sit out of a crucial game.

India, enduring a rough patch in Test cricket since October last year, have managed just one win in their last nine matches, marking their worst run in over a decade. 

India’s poor form

“If you look at the run India has had, this becomes a very, very important Test match. You’ve lost three against New Zealand, you’ve lost three against Australia,” Shastri told Sky Sports.