India trail 1-2 in the ongoing five-match Test series against England after a narrow 22-run defeat in the third Test at Lord’s. To win the series, India must clinch victories in the remaining two matches. However, uncertainty over Jasprit Bumrah’s availability has raised concerns. The pace spearhead, who featured in the first and third Tests, was rested for the second as part of workload management. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar had earlier clarified that Bumrah wouldn't play all five matches.

Former India cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar expressed strong disapproval of players choosing which games to play. “I'm not in favour of bowlers picking and choosing Test matches. If you're fit and available, you should play all the matches for your country,” he told RevSportz. “Bumrah is a world-class bowler, and he can win matches for India. But once you're on tour, you need to play every match. There's no question of selecting matches based on personal preference.”

The move to rest Bumrah stems from a past injury he suffered after playing all five Tests in Australia (2024–25), which sidelined him for three months. Vengsarkar added, “What is important is playing for India and if you are unfit, then don't play at all.”

Meanwhile, there is a speculated injury scare around Arshdeep Singh, who is yet to feature in the series, further depleting India’s fast-bowling options.