They’ve already broken the Gabba pride, but can Team India finally exorcise the ghost of Birmingham?
What lies ahead might just be the toughest challenge of this England tour for Shubman Gill & Co. Add to that the fact that the much-talked-about Gambhir-Gill era hasn’t really begun yet. They’ll be desperate to tick that first win together.
Why, you ask? Simple. India is 1-0 down, and now the pressure to make a comeback is all on them. But can that really happen at Birmingham? This ground has been India’s ultimate Test nightmare. Played 8, lost 7, and one lonely, forgotten draw way back in 1986. In the last series, they had the perfect chance to break the Edgbaston curse — until England pulled off a blockbuster heist, chasing down 378. Their highest successful run chase ever in Test history. Brutal.
Now let’s talk about the bowling. In the 1st Test, England looked the most vulnerable — Anderson and Broad had retired, and Mark Wood, Olly Stone, Gus Atkinson, and Jofra Archer were all nursing injuries. India’s batters seized the opportunity, but even then, they couldn’t push the match their way.
And just when you thought that weakness might still hang around... boom — Jofra Archer is likely to return for the 2nd Test. The chaos merchant is back. Classic England move.
Since we’re talking about returns, here’s the twist: Jasprit Bumrah might not return at Edgbaston. The team management has already dropped a spoiler — he’ll only play three Tests. And with just a three-day gap between the 2nd and 3rd matches, chances are Bumrah could be rested for this one.
Recently, Prasidh Krishna emphasised how crucial experience is during an overseas tour. "The culture that we guys have created is we are learning off each other no matter who's there, who's around and with Bums (Jasprit Bumrah) around, he's been talking to all of us all through, even before coming here... At least for me, I've been part of this team for a few years now so the conversations are still going on," he said.
"One thing you cannot get is experience; you have to do it yourself. I think all of us are excited. If you look at the team, everybody is here. (Mohammed) Siraj has played a lot of games. He's going to continue playing and then whoever comes in or whatever happens later, it's a great experience and it's an opportunity. That's the way we look at it," the fast bowler added.
As Prasidh himself said, you can’t teach experience. And this bowling attack without Bumrah? That’s like butter chicken without the butter. Or the chicken. Or the spice.
Looking at all these moving parts — what do you think? Can India pull off the unthinkable at Birmingham? Or will they walk away with more questions than answers?
