With India set to begin a crucial five-match Test series against England starting June 20 at Leeds, Jasprit Bumrah’s workload has become a major talking point. Former Indian bowling coach Bharat Arun recently weighed in on how managing Bumrah effectively could allow him to feature in all five matches of this high-stakes tour, which marks a new era for Indian Test cricket.
India enters the series without long-time stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, both of whom retired from the format last month. Under the new leadership of Shubman Gill, the team will look to rebuild and stay competitive overseas.
Arun: Managing Training, Not Overs
In a conversation with Revsportz’s Boria Majumdar, Arun highlighted that workload management is less about controlling match overs and more about how players are handled in training sessions. “You cannot control how many overs a bowler bowls during a match,” Arun said. “But you can certainly adjust his practice schedule accordingly. Less bowling in the nets, more focus on recovery, be it gym work or physiotherapy can help Bumrah stay fit across the series.”
He emphasized that too much or too little bowling in training can both lead to injury. “If the support bowlers step up and share the burden, Bumrah can potentially play all five Tests,” Arun added.
Bumrah’s Vital Role
Bumrah has been a game-changer in red-ball cricket. In 45 Tests, he has taken 205 wickets at an average of 19.40, with 13 five-wicket hauls and best figures of 6/27. By comparison, the rest of India’s current pace attack – Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Shardul Thakur – have managed a combined total of 159 wickets in 62 Tests.
“If Bumrah is made to carry the bulk of the workload without help, he may not last the entire series,” Arun warned. “But with strong performances from the rest, he can absolutely feature in all five games.”
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IPL Return Showed Promise
After sitting out the first four games of IPL 2025, Bumrah returned for Mumbai Indians and picked up 18 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 17.55, playing a pivotal role until their exit in Qualifier 2 against Punjab Kings.
Gambhir: Decision Will Be Flexible
India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir also touched on Bumrah’s selection during a pre-departure press conference. “We haven’t decided which matches he will play,” Gambhir said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. “We’ll discuss with him and evaluate based on how the series progresses. The decision will depend a lot on the series situation and his physical condition.”
A Series of High Stakes and Transition
This England tour will be India’s first bilateral Test series since the retirement of some of its biggest names. Matches are scheduled at iconic venues including Headingley (Leeds), Edgbaston (Birmingham), Lord’s and The Oval (London), and Old Trafford (Manchester), running from June to August 2025.
The outcome of this series will not only be crucial for India’s standing in the World Test Championship, but also serve as a litmus test for the team’s next generation of leaders and players.
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