Shastri Urges Caution: Manage Bumrah’s Workload to Unleash Pace Trio Against England
Former India coach Ravi Shastrihas warned against overburdening JaspritBumrah during India’s five-Test England tour, advocating a “two-Test-at-a-time” approach followed by breaks to preserve the pacer’s fitness. “Ideally, play him in four Tests. If he starts strong, resist the temptation to field him in all five,”Shastri emphasized, stressing the need to prioritize Bumrah’s input on niggles.
Bumrah, who missed the 2025 Champions Trophy after sustaining a lower back injury during the Australia Tests, recently returned to action in IPL 2025.Shastri highlighted the pacer’s 32-wicket haul in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy but cautioned that his workload during the previous year’s packed calendar contributed to the injury.
Shastri backed India’s pace trio – Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Mohammed Siraj – to dominate England “if fully fit”, calling them a “top-class attack”. He praised Siraj’s resurgence post-Champions Trophy snub, noting his “spring in stride” and consistency. With the Tests starting in late June, Shastri urged management to balance Bumrah’s IPL commitments and the transition to red-ball cricket, a phase Shane Bond termed “high-risk” due to the abrupt shift in bowling loads.