Workload management has been one of the most contentious issues in Indian cricket. With the number of games expanding across three forms, players, particularly fast bowlers, face constant pressure to strike a balance between longevity and performance. Notably, India’s star bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, has frequently faced criticism for this.
After missing two critical Test matches in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy owing to reoccurring back concerns, Bumrah has returned for the Asia Cup 2025, where India is pitted against relatively inexperienced sides such as the UAE and Hong Kong. This decision has sparked debate over whether India’s premier bowler should rest during big Test matches and play against smaller teams.
Bumrah picking and choosing games
Bumrah, after playing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25, was placed on a recovery program to safeguard his back. He missed a few matches for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2025 before returning in the second half. Before the series against England, head coach Gautam Gambhir revealed that the right-armer would only play three of the five Tests. Sticking to the plan, he turned up in three games and bagged 14 wickets, including two five-fors. Yet, despite his efforts, India did not win a single match he played. Ironically, the two victories came in his absence.
The decision to rest him in the Birmingham and Oval Tests, both must-win games, drew criticism. With the series tied at 2-2, many fans and ex-cricketers felt India had lacked its best bowler in matches where he was most needed. Many accused Bumrah and the management of picking and choosing Tests.
However, two months later, the 31-year-old has been slotted straight into India’s XI for the Asia Cup 2025. India’s group includes the UAE and Hong Kong, relatively inexperienced teams. Fans and former cricketers questioned if Bumrah had to be benched until the big games and why he was rested from Test matches and then brought back to play relatively lighter fixtures. Former India batter Ajay Jadeja also shared the same.
“What is the need to play Bumrah tomorrow, man? Usually, you keep him wrapped in cotton wool. Now you need Bumrah even against the UAE. Either don’t protect him at all, or if you need to preserve him, then do it in this type of match. Logic dictates that, but we never do things with logic.
No matter how polite I might wish to be, it needs to be said that when we are talking about such a big tournament, and the Asia Cup is not a small tournament, they will have to reconsider whether they should keep eight teams because this is not encouragement, but a discouragement, because of the way they performed,” he had said a day before the game,” he said as quoted by India Today.
Ex-cricketers share contrasting opinions
Meanwhile, former World Cup winner Balvinder Singh Sandhu defended the pacer, stressing that Bumrah’s body is unlike other pacers and needs careful monitoring. Injuries have already curtailed the majority of his career. Protecting him for ICC tournaments like the T20 World Cup makes long-term sense. Even Sachin Tendulkar quashed suggestions that India does better without him, calling it a pure coincidence.
On the other hand, Former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar stated that representing India is a full-time responsibility. If a player is fit, he should not sit out crucial Tests only to reappear in less demanding contests. Notably, Mohammed Siraj bowled across all five England Tests, clocking over 185 overs, and many felt Bumrah should have shouldered a similar workload.
The Asia Cup has always been a prestigious event, but its competitiveness has often been questioned. While matches against Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan are important, games against the UAE or Hong Kong are not considered on par. In this context, Bumrah’s availability against weaker opponents grabs eyeballs. With youngsters like Arshdeep Singh or Harshit Rana sitting out, India went for their veteran pacer.
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