India must acknowledge that they can win without Jasprit Bumrah: Varun Aaron

Former Indian pacer and JioHotstar expert Varun Aaron has heaped praise on the Indian team, led by Shubman Gill, after they registered a 336-run win against England in the second Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Sunday, July 6.

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Interestingly, India stepped into the Birmingham Test without Jasprit Bumrah, who was managing his workload. Akash Deep, who replaced Bumrah, went on to put in a match-winning performance, scalping a 10-wicket haul in the match.

“This is how you tell a team that plays very aggressive cricket that we can do the same and beat them at their own game. And that’s exactly what India has done. Most importantly, India must acknowledge that they can win without Jasprit Bumrah. There was a lot of over-reliance on him, especially with the discussion leading into this Test,” Varun Aaron said JioHotstar.

Furthermore, Varun also hailed the Indian Test captain, Shubman Gill, who scored 269 and 161 in both innings, to emerge as the player of the match in his first win as a Test captain. Interestingly, this was India’s first-ever Test victory in Birmingham. 

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Shubman Gill has stepped up in a big way, the first player to score 200+ and 150+ in the same Test. India crossed the 1,000-run mark in a Test match for the first time. It’s a series of firsts: Gill’s first win as Test captain, India’s first-ever win at Edgbaston, and potentially India’s first Test win in England in several years. It’s a mixed bag of milestones,” he added.

Subsequently, Varun Aaron also asserted that Gill seems like a veteran batter who has represented the country in 100 Tests, displaying great maturity in both batting and leadership departments. 

“He’s always centered, with a presence of mind far beyond his years. The way he bats, he seems like a veteran of 100 Tests, there’s great maturity in both his batting and leadership. Test cricket is ultimately a reflection of your personality, when you’re tested for over 150 overs, your character shows,” he concluded.

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