India have to win at least seven of the remaining nine Tests to qualify for the WTC final.
Notably, Bumrah played only three of the five Test matches on the tour of England last year. While his unorthodox bowling action demands careful management, the BCCI aims to keep him fit for the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) matches.
India have nine Tests remaining in the WTC 2025-27 cycle. The Shubman Gill-led side will tour against Sri Lanka (August 2026) and New Zealand (October 2026) for two Tests coach, before hosting Australia in a five-Test series in January-February 2027.
Currently holding sixth spot in the WTC standings with just 48.15 PCT%, India have to win at least seven of the remaining nine matches to qualify for the final.
According to a TOI report, the BCCI is prioritizing India's WTC campaign by planning for Bumrah to play in all nine Tests, potentially resting him from ODIs to manage his workload.
"The attempt is to keep Bumrah fit enough to play all Tests. He is expected to play the four Tests in Sri Lanka and New Zealand. The challenge will be to keep him fresh for the five Tests at home against Australia," BCCI sources told TOI.
"The selectors won't mind resting him for some ODI series. He played T20 cricket after a gap of two years in the Asia Cup last September and still delivered," the sources added.
India will also host Afghanistan for a one-off Test at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, starting from June 6 to June 10, 2026. Although the fixture is not part of the ongoing WTC cycle, the board might still ask Bumrah and other key players to play the game in order to get some valuable match practice.
“The idea is to get serious about Tests. The Afghanistan Test may be outside the WTC cycle, but there’s nothing like match practice. The top players will be assessed, and a call on them will be taken accordingly,” the sources said.
As the world's No. 1 Test bowler, Bumrah's presence would be a major boost for India as they look to revive their chances of reaching the WTC 2025-2027 final.
(With TOI Inputs)