Jasprit Bumrah’s fitness and workload have sparked a lot of discussion during India’s recent England tour. India stuck to their plan of playing Bumrah in only three of the five Tests in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. He was rested for the final Test at The Oval, even though India was behind 1-2 in the series.
Bumrah’s Injury and Rest Strategy
Bumrah was later withdrawn from the squad due to a knee injury. After the England tour ended, India will take a one-month break before returning to play the Asia Cup. A former Indian cricketer, who has closely observed Bumrah, suggests that the top-ranked Test bowler should focus mainly on white-ball cricket for now.
Because of his injury history, experts feel India should keep Bumrah fresh for major upcoming white-ball tournaments. These include the T20 World Cup next year and the ODI World Cup in 2027.
“There is no question on the value that he brings to the side. But the management and board need to discuss how to use him – as an all format bowler or should he be asked to concentrate only on one or two formats,” the former player told PTI.
Upcoming Tests and Bumrah’s Role
India’s next Test series starts in early October, with West Indies visiting, followed by a home series against South Africa. Since Indian pitches usually help spinners, some ex-players think Bumrah might not be crucial for these matches.
“(Mohammed) Siraj, Akash Deep and Prasidh (Krishna) have shown us that they can win Tests for India. Let’s back them fully. We have two important tournaments (T20 and ODI WC) coming our way, and we need Bumrah ready for them. For home matches (vs West Indies, SA), we have Washi and Kuldeep along with Jadeja, and Bumrah’s role will not be that big here,” the former cricketer added.
Focus on White-Ball Formats
The advice is clear: Bumrah should concentrate on white-ball cricket. There are plenty of T20 and ODI matches in the next two years for him to play. Plus, the IPL is also a big part of his schedule.
“So, if you ask me, he should be asked to focus more on white ball formats for now as there are enough T20s and one-dayers for him to play in the next two years. Yeah, IPL too is there. It’s better to have him play all matches in one format rather than him playing a few matches in all formats. It adds value to the team,” the expert explained.
Bumrah last played a white-ball international match in the T20 World Cup final last year. He has not appeared in an ODI for nearly two years. This makes his future workload management a key topic for the Indian cricket team going forward.
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