"You can't script this, this is not a movie" - Former Indian pacer's stunning claim on Jasprit Bumrah ahead of ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test

Former Indian pacer Ashish Nehra rubbished the idea of having a set plan for the matches Jasprit Bumrah would play in the upcoming five-Test series in England, starting at Leeds on June 20. With India set to adopt a workload management strategy to maintain Bumrah's fitness, recent reports suggest that the ace pacer is likely to play the first, third, and fifth Test.

The 31-year-old played the first four Tests of India's latest series in Australia at the end of last year. However, he suffered a back injury during the fifth Test in Sydney, preventing him from participating in the entire second innings.

Bumrah also missed India's next few white-ball games, including the 2025 Champions Trophy and the first few IPL 2025 matches before returning from injury.

Talking to the media on the eve of the first India-England Test about Jasprit Bumrah's workload management, Nehra said (via Hindustan Times):

"On Bumrah’s workload, the judge won’t be Gill, it will be the fast bowler himself. On some occasions, we have seen Bumrah picking up five wickets in 12-13 overs. That’s how skilful he is. It’s the bowler who will tell the physio and the captain on how his body is coping. You can’t script this, this is not a movie."

He continued:

"I have been hearing that Bumrah will play the 1st, 3rd and the 5th Test. But what if it rains in the first Test? You can’t make these plans well in advance. Who knows, he may feel good to play back-to-back Tests."

Bumrah has been in red-hot form in the Test format, picking up an incredible 73 wickets in 14 matches since the start of 2024 at an average of 15.

"Looking at playing three Test matches" - Jasprit Bumrah on the India-England series

Jasprit Bumrah confirmed that he would likely play three of the five Tests in the upcoming England series. The champion pacer boasts an outstanding red-ball record in England, picking up 37 wickets at an average of 26.27 in nine outings.

In the build-up to the series, Jasprit Bumrah spoke about his workload management on Sky Cricket, saying (via India Today):

"I’m definitely looking at playing three Test matches. That’s the plan for now. Obviously, the exact number is not fixed yet, but the first one is certainly on. We’ll have to see how things go — the workload, the match scenarios, all of that. But yes, at this moment, three Tests is what I feel I can manage comfortably without putting myself in a desperate situation."

Team India are looking to break an 18-year drought in England, with their last Test series win on English soil coming in 2007.