3 reasons why India must rest Jasprit Bumrah for IND vs OMA Asia Cup 2025 match

Jasprit Bumrah's Asia Cup 2025 campaign is set to continue with a clash against Oman at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Friday, September 19. However, it remains to be seen whether Team India uses his services for the contest since they have already progressed into the Super 4 stage of the competition.

The right-arm pacer's workload has been a subject of constant debate, and it was former India cricketer Ajay Jadeja, who suggested that he should be rested for the opening clash against the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Now, with qualification secured, and yet another contest against an associate side loading, India have another massive decision to make.

On that note, let us take a look at three reasons why India must rest Jasprit Bumrah for IND vs OMA Asia Cup 2025 match.

#1 Crucial Super 4 stage clash against Pakistan lined up after a day's break

Team India had the luxury of a relatively extended break after their win over Pakistan on Sunday, September 14. However, the screws will begin to tighten as the Asia Cup 2025 heads into its business stage.

The Men in Blue's final group stage clash against Oman is scheduled for Friday, September 19, while their opening Super 4 stage clash against Pakistan is slated to be held on Sunday, September 21.

Given the quick turnaround after the group, and the fact that the clash against Oman is a dead rubber, Team India could potentially afford to manage Jasprit Bumrah's workload, keeping him fresh for the high-stakes clash against the arch-rivals lined up.

The preparation ahead of the Asia Cup 2025 and the couple of group stage matches mean that Bumrah has got some decent overs under his belt after his patchy England tour and the subsequent break. It is pertinent for India to maintain him at the right functioning level, and find the balance in the long run, where he is neither overworked, nor undercooked at the same time.

#2 It's a marathon, and not a sprint

Team India have to function on a priority basis throughout their lengthy run-in to the 2026 T20 World Cup. The road is already complicated as it is, without considering the influence of other formats, which cannot be sidelined.

The big picture will always remain the 2026 T20 World Cup, and ideally, India would like to include Bumrah in as many matches as possible during the upcoming six-month time frame. But for that to be realistic, it means that he must be rested from time to time.

With the home series and an Australian tour coming up in the near future, the Men in Blue need Bumrah in peak condition for those assignments. Taking the magnitude of the Super 4 stage matches, which are essentially virtual knockout clashes, the upcoming match against Oman is the only realistic avenue where Bumrah could be given a breather.

Although four overs against a minnow setup could potentially do no harm to Bumrah, in terms of workload or fatigue, India are at a stage where they have to play safe with him, just like they did in England recently.

#3 Crucial to keep bench players in the loop

A combination of morale and game time ties up the final facet as to why Bumrah should be rested. If only T20Is are concerned, India have approximately 20 more matches to play before the World Cup, and they are a long way from locking in the final combination. Although there is a rigid framework already in place at this stage, that does not make the bench irrelevant or sightseers by any means.

Regular game time for the players on the sideline is crucial to keep them involved in the mix of things, keeping them ready should they be needed on a long-term basis down the line in case of injury, change in strategy, or poor form somewhere in the playing XI.

As far as Bumrah's replacement is concerned, India need not worry about a drop in quality as they have a proven candidate in Arshdeep Singh taking his place. Therefore, the quality will not be compromised by any means.

India would ideally love for a fixed playing XI to play a string of games to get more acclimatized, particularly because this is the first time they are playing T20I cricket since the home series against England in January.

But rotation to rest players and bring other options from the bench might just take precedence over that, especially in circumstances like a dead rubber clash. Because there is still a lot of time left for the first-choice playing XI to play together on a regular basis down the line as the World Cup approaches.