Top 5 expert opinions on Jasprit Bumrah's workload post ENG vs IND 2025 Tests ft. Sandeep Patil

The 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy between England and India concluded in a 2-2 draw on Monday, August 4. In a thrilling finish at The Oval, the visiting side secured victory in the fifth and final Test by just six runs. The young Indian team, led by Shubman Gill, earned widespread praise for their impressive performances throughout the series.

However, debate continues around ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah’s workload. Even before the first Test, the management made it clear that the 31-year-old would feature in only three of the five matches to manage his fitness.

Bumrah played in three Tests, none of which resulted in a win for India. Across five innings, he took 14 wickets, maintaining an average of 26.00 and a strike rate of 51.28, including two five-wicket hauls.

As discussions persist, this article delves into five expert opinions on Jasprit Bumrah’s fitness and workload following the ENG vs IND 2025 Test series.

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Top 5 expert opinions on Jasprit Bumrah's workload post ENG vs IND 2025 Tests

#1 David Gower

Former England captain David Gower has supported and advised pacer Jasprit Bumrah to take care of himself and manage his workload after featuring in just three Tests against England. Speaking about Bumrah’s future injury management, Gower said on the Free Press Journal YouTube channel:

"Even if you are Jasprit Bumrah, keen to get out of there and play a part in your team doing well, you have to look after yourself, along with the management. Because people want to see Jasprit at his best. They don't want to see Jasprit at 60-70% and bowling just on reputation without the physicality to back himself up."

"His bowling action for that page is completely unnatural. When you get to that part in your career where some of the parts in the engine need replacing, then you've got to be much more careful about how you use your body. Give him time to recover. Someone has to be brave enough to manage them sensibly and not rush him back,” he added.

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#2 Aakash Chopra

Former India opener Aakash Chopra voiced his surprise and disappointment at the criticism Jasprit Bumrah faced for managing his workload and missing two Tests during the England series. Speaking on his YouTube channel, he stated:

"It was being said that India couldn't have a better captain than Jasprit Bumrah. It was being asked why bowlers can't become captains, as he was vice-captain under Rohit Sharma's captaincy and had captained in Perth and won the match as well, so he should become the captain.”

"This is how it started, and this is how it's going - trolling, that when he plays, the team loses, and doesn't take full responsibility when he plays, which means from Boom Boom Bumrah, our fans have become gumrah (gone astray). I am very, very surprised and sorry,” he added.

Aakash continued:

"We are talking about a generational talent who is head and shoulders above the rest. He is the best bowler in the world right now across formats. If Bumrah plays only three matches, let him play. If workload management says that, without breaking down, I can keep Bumrah playing in important matches, I will do whatever it takes.”

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#3 Sandeep Patil

Former India cricketer and chief selector Sandeep Patil has criticized the workload management, calling it nonsense. Speaking to Mid-day, he said:

“I wonder how the BCCI is agreeing to all this. Is the physio more important than the captain, than the head coach? What about selectors? Are we to expect that the physio will be sitting in selection committee meetings now. Will he decide? Workload management is nonsense. You are either fit or unfit and that’s how we [his selection committee] picked teams. We did not entertain this workload business."

“I marvel at the strokes batsmen play now. In our time we used to be scolded by Sunil Gavaskar if we tried any fancy strokes, but times have changed and we accept that. What I cannot digest is how players are missing games," he added.

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#4 Raju Kulkarni

Former India cricketer Raju Kulkarni believes that managing ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah’s workload is the best way forward. Speaking to Mid-day about Bumrah’s workload, the 62-year-old said:

"In today’s cricket, you will rarely find your main bowler playing all five matches in a series, especially someone like Bumrah [who has claimed 219 wickets in 48 Tests]. Instead of forcibly playing him in all five Tests, it is better to use him like a gun in selected matches, as he is like an AK47."

"Undoubtedly, we have the best fast bowlers in the world, there is no comparison. I’m sure [Jasprit] Bumrah is taking other [Indian] fast bowlers along with him. He looks like a bowler, who knows that he will not be able to play five Tests in a row, [so] he is encouraging other bowlers and this has changed everyone’s body language,” he added.

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#5 Ajinkya Rahane

Veteran India batter Ajinkya Rahane has defended Jasprit Bumrah for missing the two Tests against England, praising the 31-year-old for his clarity and for ensuring the team was well-prepared. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Rahane said:

"What I liked about him was his clarity on what he wanted to do before the series and the games he wanted to play. At times, it's difficult to tell the captain that you'll only be able to play x number of games. But this shows that he has the courage to tell the captain and the management. It also shows that he's keeping the team ahead of himself and that the team shouldn't face any problem because of him. He ensured the team was well prepared on who would play the games he missed."

"Also, there are ways to use Bumrah. If you want him to play all the Test matches, use him differently in 3-4 over spells with only 10-12 overs in a day,” he added.

Overall, Jasprit Bumrah has played 48 Tests for India, taking 219 wickets at an average of 19.82 and a strike rate of 42.6, including 15 five-wicket hauls to his name.