Bumrah featured in three out of five Tests on the tour of England.
Ever since Jasprit Bumrah sustained a back spasm in the Sydney Test against Australia, the Indian team management has been extra careful about managing his workload.
As a result of that injury, he missed the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and the Indian team management confirmed before the ongoing England tour that the ace pacer would only play three of the five Tests.
The No.1-ranked Test bowler turned up in the first, third and fourth games and was rested for the second Test at Edgbaston. He is not featuring in the series finale at The Oval as well.
Meanwhile, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly mulling tweaking its selection policies regarding Bumrah.
According to a report published in TOI, Bumrah might be considered for future Test series only if he’s available for all matches.
“Strength and condition (S&C) coaches can set the workload threshold for each player. But Bumrah’s availability should depend on his fitness, which will be assessed by the medical team," the report cited a BCCI source as saying.
Jasprit Bumrah picked up 14 wickets at an average of 26 in three appearances against England, but he seemed to be suffering from cramps and slight injuries in the penultimate Test at Old Trafford.
After the first day’s play at The Oval, India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate dismissed the suggestion that Bumrah was ‘picking and choosing’ which matches to play, saying that Indian players are always disappointed when they can’t play but try to motivate each other.
“It’s quite a complex issue around Bumrah, you know, we obviously want to wheel him in, but we also want to respect where his body’s at, and on the basis of that, we just felt that it wasn’t worth including him in the squad," Ten Doeschate told reporters.
“… I don’t think picking and choosing is a fair comment to Bumrah, he did say he was going to play three games, he left it up to us which three he played, we’ve tried to manage the situation, it’s not ideal, I guess giving those guys attention, the guys who aren’t playing particularly when you’re carrying 18 is important," he added.