Jasprit Bumrah mocks England pitches ahead of Lord's Test, compares Headingley and Edgbaston wickets with Kanpur and Nagpur's

Indian bowling attack will be bolstered with Jasprit Bumrah's return in the upcoming third Test against England which is set to kick off from July 10 at the iconic Lord's stadium. India might have won the Edgbaston Test without the services of Jasprit Bumrah but they will need their pace spearhead back in their ranks if they are gunning to win the five-match series which is currently levelled at 1-1.

Jasprit Bumrah compares Headingley-Edgbaston pitches with India's Kanpur-Nagpur

Bumrah hit the nets on July 8 and was seen rolling his arms during India's net session at Lord's to gear up for the third Test against England.

During the practice session, while talking with the pitch curators Bumrah was heard comparing England pitches with India's Kanpur and Nagpur wickets. The 31-year-old said Headingley pitch in Leeds was like Kanpur and Edgbaston's was like Nagpur.

"So far I have played in India, the Leeds wicket was like Kanpur and Edgbaston was like Nagpur," he said.

After losing the series opener in Leeds, India staged a stunning comeback in the second Test and bulldozed England by 336 runs to register their first-ever win at Edgbaston, breaking the 58-year-long jinx at the venue. And right after the match, India captain Shubman Gill confirmed that Bumrah will return back to India's playing XI for the Lord's Test.

Initially, the Indian team management had planned to manage Bumrah's workload by playing him in only three of the five Tests in the series.

Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep, who capably filled the void left by Bumrah to secure the win against England, has been a major positive for India. With the series now level at 1-1, Bumrah is expected to feature in two of the final three matches. His presence is a game-changer, particularly at Lord's where conditions are likely to favor his unique bowling style. His return significantly strengthens India's bid to win the next two encounters and seal the series.

India is anticipated to make at least one change to their playing XI for the third Test. While the opening combination of Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul is set to continue, the No. 3 batting position remains a point of contention. After trialing Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair in the first two Tests respectively, neither has cemented their place despite showing promise. The team may opt for consistency by giving Karun Nair another opportunity to solidify his claim. The middle order, expertly marshaled by Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant, appears stable, further bolstered by solid batting contributions from Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar in the previous match. Despite a less impactful last performance, Nitish Kumar Reddy might also be considered for another chance.

The bowling attack will see a definite change with Jasprit Bumrah's return from rest, which will likely lead to Prasidh Krishna being omitted from the lineup. Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep are expected to retain their spots after their impressive performances in the last Test. With the series finely poised, India will be looking to leverage this combination of returning experience and recent success to build momentum and take a decisive lead at Lord's.