Team India 2nd Test Playing XI Prediction: Bumrah Likely to Be Rested, Arshdeep In

India are trailing 0-1 in the Test series and now head to Edgbaston, a venue where they’ve never managed a win. While there were some positives with the bat in the first Test, a few cracks in the playing XI also came to light. Head coach Gautam Gambhir will be looking to fine-tune the team for the second match. With Jasprit Bumrah’s availability still uncertain, the team might turn to Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav or Akash Deep. But they’ll have to think carefully before dropping Shardul Thakur, as it could leave the lower order looking even thinner with the bat.

Shardul Thakur’s All-Rounder Tag Under Scrutiny After Leeds Test

Shardul Thakur hasn’t delivered as an all-rounder at the international level. Even though he’s had a few good knocks in England and strong numbers in domestic cricket, he’s not quite in the same class as top all-rounders like Woakes or Cummins. In the Leeds Test, he scored only 1 and 4 with the bat and didn’t do much with the ball either, giving away runs at over 5 an over. Even captain Shubman Gill didn’t seem confident in using him, only bringing him on to bowl in the 40th over of the first innings.

In the second innings of the Leeds Test, Shardul Thakur bowled an early three-over spell but was taken off and didn’t return until 30 overs later, when he struck twice in quick succession. Despite the breakthroughs, he wasn’t brought back until the 74th over, by which time the match was already slipping away. After the loss, head coach Gautam Gambhir subtly shifted the responsibility to captain Shubman Gill, saying the decision to use Jadeja over Shardul was based on instinct and the need for control from one end. 

However, if Shardul isn’t offering enough with the ball or bat, India might be better off playing someone like Nitish Kumar Reddy, who can contribute as a batter and chip in with the ball if needed. Slotting Reddy at No. 6 and Jadeja at 7 could give the team better balance without compromising much.

Third Seamer Dilemma: Arshdeep, Akash Deep, or Prasidh?

One of the key questions for India ahead of the Edgbaston Test is whether Jasprit Bumrah will play. If he does, it will boost the bowling attack. But if he’s rested, India needs to pick a third seamer. Arshdeep Singh’s swing could be useful, while Akash Deep has also done well in his chances. The worry is that apart from Bumrah, the other pacers haven’t been consistent. With Edgbaston likely to be a flat pitch, India needs bowlers who can control the runs. Prasidh Krishna had some good moments but gave away too many runs and Mohammad Siraj wasn’t effective early on, though he improved later.

India might look to make a small change by playing Kuldeep Yadav instead of going with four pacers again, especially since the Edgbaston pitch is expected to be dry and help spinners from Day 3. If Jasprit Bumrah is rested, Arshdeep Singh could come in to take the new ball, which would mean dropping one among Siraj, Shardul or Prasidh. For team balance, Prasidh might be the one left out. However, India is unlikely to make big changes, so the most probable move is Kuldeep replacing Bumrah if he doesn’t play.

India could consider dropping Sai Sudharsan and pushing Karun Nair up to No. 3, which would open up a spot at No. 6 for Nitish Reddy. Reddy's inclusion would give Shubman Gill an extra bowling option especially if he can chip in with 10–15 overs helping ease the load on the three frontline pacers. His presence alongside Jadeja at No. 7 would also add more depth to the batting lineup.

India’s Predicted Playing XI – Edgbaston Test

No.	Player Name	Role
1	Yashasvi Jaiswal	Opening Batter
2	KL Rahul	Opening Batter
3	Sai Sudharsan	Top-order Batter
4	Shubman Gill (Captain)	Middle-order Batter
5	Rishabh Pant	Wicketkeeper
6	Karun Nair	Middle-order Batter
7	Ravindra Jadeja	All-rounder (Spin)
8	Kuldeep Yadav	Spin Bowler
9	Arshdeep Singh	Left-arm Fast Bowler
10	Mohammed Siraj	Right-arm Fast Bowler
11	Prasidh Krishna	Right-arm Fast Bowler

India vs England — Test Series 2025 Schedule 

Test	Dates (2025)	Venue	Result
1st	Jun 20–24	Headingley, Leeds	England won by 5 wickets
2nd	Jul 2–6	Edgbaston, Birmingham	To Be Played
3rd	Jul 10–14	Lord’s, London	Scheduled
4th	Jul 23–27	Old Trafford, Manchester	Scheduled
5th	Jul 31–Aug 4	The Oval, London	Scheduled

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