India, July 9 -- India may have won handsomely at Edgbaston without Jasprit Bumrah, but his potential return to the XI for the next Test could complicate things more than it fixes. On the surface, Bumrah's presence is reassuring: a world-class pacer, fresh off a five-wicket haul in the series opener at Headingley. But statistically, India's record without their pace spearhead raises a pressing question: do they actually fare better without him?

Since Bumrah's debut in 2018, India have played 27 Tests without him, winning 19, losing 5, and drawing 3. That's a win percentage of over 70%. Contrast that with games he has played: 46 Tests, with India winning 20 of them and losing 22. Suddenly, the numbers don't paint him as the irreplaceable ...