India Tour Of England 2025 : Shami Likely Out, Bumrah May Skip Tests in India Tour of England

India Tour Of England 2025 : As the dust settles on another intense season of the IPL, Team India’s focus now shifts to the challenging tour of England — a five-match Test series that also marks the start of a new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. But even before the squad is announced, early concerns have begun to emerge, especially around the availability of two of India’s pace spearheads: Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah.

According to media reports, Mohammed Shami is unlikely to be fit in time for the England series. The veteran pacer, who has been India’s strike weapon in Tests, has not fully recovered from the injury that sidelined him after the 2023 ODI World Cup. While he made a brief return through domestic cricket and was even seen in action during the Champions Trophy, fresh evaluations by BCCI’s medical staff suggest that he is not yet match-fit to withstand the rigours of Test cricket.

Shami’s performance in IPL 2025 hasn’t helped his case either. Featuring in nine matches, he picked up just six wickets at a disappointing average of 56.17. A section within the board believes that he is currently not in a condition to bowl long spells or complete a full quota of overs — a critical requirement in the demanding English conditions.

On the other hand, Jasprit Bumrah’s availability has sparked another debate. An all-India media report claims that Bumrah has communicated his unwillingness to play all five Tests in the series. Instead, the fast bowler is reportedly ready to feature in a maximum of three matches, citing workload management and fitness sustainability as reasons.

This revelation has wider implications for team leadership too. Earlier this month, a BCCI official had hinted that the selectors are looking for a vice-captain who can be available for all five matches. “We want a player who will be on the field throughout the series. Constantly changing the vice-captain is not ideal. It’s best for team stability if both the captain and vice-captain are present in all Tests,” the official said.

This development has also ruled out Bumrah as a potential long-term captaincy candidate, especially in light of Rohit Sharma’s expected transition away from red-ball cricket. The fact that India’s premier fast bowler cannot commit to a full Test series has already prompted discussions around alternate leadership options and raised concerns over team stability.

The situation places Team India under considerable pressure ahead of the tour. With both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma unavailable, India are expected to field a relatively inexperienced squad, relying heavily on the younger crop of players. In such a scenario, the absence of stalwarts like Bumrah and Shami — especially in a format and venue that demands skill, experience, and mental toughness — could seriously dent India’s chances.

Bumrah’s presence has been pivotal in many of India’s overseas successes, and without him leading the attack consistently, the responsibility now falls on the shoulders of players like Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, and possibly Arshdeep Singh. These pacers have shown promise, but none have yet commanded the fear or consistency that Bumrah and Shami bring in the whites.

As India prepare for what could be a season-defining series in England, the selectors and team management find themselves navigating a tough balancing act — managing injuries, ensuring workload safety, and still building a squad strong enough to take on England in their backyard.

The upcoming days will be crucial, as fans wait eagerly for the squad announcement, hoping that India’s pace puzzle gets solved before the WTC campaign begins in earnest.

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