Virat Kohli sidelines as Veteran picks India MVP for England Tests

As India is set to play the high-profile five-match Test series against England in June-July, all eyes are on pacer Jasprit Bumrah and how his workload will be managed, especially after his recent return from a back injury in the ongoing IPL 2025.

Bumrah missed a large part of India's previous England tour, and most recently, he missed India’s home series against England, the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, and the start of the IPL 2025 season for the Mumbai Indians due to his back injury that he sustained on the Australia tour.

Isa Guha highlights key factors for India to manage Jasprit Bumrah’s fitness on the England tour

With the packed schedule and his injury history, managing the Indian pacer’s workload will be crucial for India’s success on the England tour. The former England women's pacer Isa Guha has shed light on how India will manage their strike bowler in the upcoming Test series.

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Guha pointed out that India's strategy will depend on the early results of the series and the performances of other bowlers. She also stressed that Bumrah’s fitness will be key for India in the upcoming five-match Test series in England, as he is the leader of their attack.

Isa Guha was quoted as saying by Sportskeeda, “They are going to have to manage him, probably. And that will depend on how the first two or three tests go and how the other bowlers are performing. The key is other bowlers stepping up to take the pressure off him. He is a quality player, so I am sure he will find a way to be able to impact games because he is an impact player.”

Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami will have to perform in England, says Isa Guha

The radio broadcaster feels Mohammed Siraj and Mohammad Shami will have to step up in order to ease Bumrah’s workload on the England tour. Guha further noted that Siraj’s ability to adapt to English conditions, particularly his length, will be crucial, while Shami’s fitness will also be crucial.

The commentator added, “From a bowling perspective, they are led by one man, so Jasprit Bumrah’s fitness is going to be key. It’s important that the bowling group is able to perform together. Mohammed Siraj is going to be really important on English wickets, especially with the length he bowls, and Shami’s fitness is vitally important. I think they can absolutely compete, and it is going to be a fun series to watch.”

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Isa Guha opines on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s Test future

Isa Guha also reacted to the notions around Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s Test future. She backed Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to bounce back to form in the upcoming England tour. Virat Kohli managed just 190 runs in five Tests, while Rohit only scored 31 runs in three Tests on the Australia tour.

Still, Guha believes that Rohit and Virat Kohli's experience in English conditions will help them recover, despite their disappointing performance against New Zealand and Australia.

She emphasized that the England tour offers a great chance for Indian cricket to showcase its depth, quality, and identity, and Virat Kohli-Rohit Sharma's role becomes all the more important.

Guha signed off by saying, “Of course, they can bounce back to their form. Experience helps a lot in English conditions. Obviously, in different conditions, you have to play in different ways. The experienced players will understand how to tackle that. The younger players will have to understand and adapt.”