New Delhi, Aug 12: The recent criticism of the Indian team management’s handling of Jasprit Bumrah’s workload may make for headline chatter, but it overlooks both the fast bowler’s exceptional record and the realities of modern cricket.
Bumrah is no ordinary pacer. He is the only bowler in Test history — across eras, formats, and bowling styles — to claim 200 wickets at an average below 20.
His numbers are remarkable in all conditions: 64 wickets in Australia at 17.15, a joint-record 51 in England at 26.19, and even on unhelpful Indian tracks, 47 wickets at 17.19 — figures spinners would envy.
His recent form has been equally formidable. On India’s latest tour of England, he played three of the five Tests, taking five-wicket hauls in two of them — equalling the Indian record for a series in England.
Earlier this year in Australia, he became the first Indian pacer to take three five-fors in a single series there, finishing with a record 32 wickets.
The Pre-Agreed Rest and the Backlash
Despite these exploits, criticism surfaced after Bumrah skipped the second Test in England — a pre-tour decision confirmed by captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir.
The management had been clear: there would be “no compromise on the workload of a player,” even after India lost the first Test.
The decision, however, took on a different hue when India won in Bumrah’s absence, their second such victory without him in recent years. Comparisons were swiftly drawn with Kapil Dev, who never missed a Test due to injury in his 131-match career.
Former captain Sunil Gavaskar suggested the workload argument was “a mental thing” that should be “deleted from the Indian cricket dictionary.”
Historical Context and the Pace Conundrum
What such comparisons often miss is the toll that pace bowling takes. Kapil himself reduced his speed by the mid-1980s to prolong his career.
Earlier still, Ramakant Desai, a tearaway by Indian standards, bowled such punishing spells in his early Tests that his effectiveness waned before his 30th birthday.
Modern fast bowling demands even more. Bumrah is expected to excel in the new-ball overs and return at the death in ODIs and T20Is, often in World Cups, on top of his Test commitments. Few pacers globally are tasked with such all-format consistency against elite opposition.
Signs of Strain
In the fourth Test in England, with the series on the line, Bumrah returned but bowled at reduced pace, struggling to hit 140kph.
Though he produced flashes of brilliance, he conceded a hundred runs for the first time in his career.
Former cricketer Mohammad Kaif even speculated whether he might retire from Tests — an expectation rarely placed on other Indian fast bowlers.That strain has precedent. During last year’s Boxing Day Test, stump microphones caught Bumrah telling Rohit Sharma he “couldn’t bowl fast anymore” late in the day — despite having taken nine wickets in the match. The injury that followed in Sydney was a reminder of the physical limits of the role.
Workload Reality vs. Perception
Despite careful management, Bumrah has bowled almost as many overs as Mohammed Siraj since the latter’s debut — and more per Test. Yet, sitting out one match has been enough to spark questions over his commitment.Former selector Sandeep Patil called workload management “nonsense” and declared, “when you are picked for your country, you die for your country” — a sentiment that resonates with sections of fans but, as cricket historians note, blurs the line between sport and military service.
Protecting India’s Rarest Asset
India’s pace stocks are deeper than ever, but bowlers with Bumrah’s combination of speed, skill, and adaptability remain rare. Overworking him, as happened in Australia, risks shortening a career that has already delivered historic milestones.
In England this year, pragmatism prevailed: Siraj, bowling more overs than any Indian quick in a single England tour since 1959, and Prasidh Krishna stepped up when Bumrah rested. The decision may have attracted criticism, but for the team management, it was about safeguarding a generational talent from the fate of past fast-bowling greats who burned bright but faded early.As the debate rages on, one fact is undeniable — India can ill afford to lose Bumrah to preventable injuries. In a cricket calendar packed with bilateral series, ICC tournaments, and franchise commitments, protecting him may be the only way to ensure his brilliance remains a long-term asset rather than a fleeting memory.In the end, the noise around Jasprit Bumrah’s workload is less about fragility and more about foresight. India’s cricketing landscape is unforgiving — packed schedules, relentless formats, and the ever-present pressure to deliver in marquee events. Preserving a once-in-a-generation fast bowler is not a sign of weakness; it is strategic investment. If protecting Bumrah today means he can still be bending his back and breaking batsmen’s stumps five years from now, then perhaps it is time to replace outrage with perspective. (Agencies)