Bumrah suffered an ‘impact injury’ on his knee during the recent ODI series against England.
Australian pace bowling legend Glenn McGrath stated that Jasprit Bumrah is still a "spring chicken", a term to suggest he’s still quite young, urging him to prioritize long-term career durability.
Speaking at the MRF Pace Foundation on Monday (July 27), McGrath highlighted that Bumrah's unique bowling action places high physical stress on his joints.
To protect his body, McGrath suggested that the India’s ace pacer might need to decide between focusing primarily on Test cricket or shifting his energy toward T20 format.
The BCCI has actively adapted to protect their premier fast bowler following his severe back stress injury on the 2024-25 tour of Australia. Bumrah doesn’t feature in most of the bilateral ODI assignments and low-stakes T20I rubbers. He has been periodically rested from Test matches as well.
“Well again it’s up to him what he wants," McGrath said. “How old’s Bumrah now? 31- 32? He’s only a spring chicken. So he’s got to find a way to have a bit of longevity. He’s had a few injuries unfortunately, but he’s class, a quality bowler. Just see what he wants to do. That’s what it comes down to: whether he wants to focus on Test cricket or whether he just wants to play T20. It also depends on his body. And like I said, guys who hyper-extend their arm do place a bit more stress through that joint there. So we’ll see what the future holds."
While Bumrah has been named in India’s squad for the upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka, his final availability remains subject to fitness clearance from the BCCI's Centre of Excellence. He is still recovering from an ‘impact injury’ on his knee sustained during the recent ODI series in England.
With veterans being managed carefully, McGrath also noted that India's white-ball bowling department is entering a natural transition period, backing younger pacers like Prasidh Krishna to step up as long-term enforcers.
“I’m a big fan of Prasidh as well," McGrath said. “It’s always a big ask to fill the shoes of Shami and Bumrah, so it’s always going to be a transitional period. From seeing him when he was here (MRF Pace Foundation) to watching him play IPL cricket, he just seemed to mature — his pace and just the way he was bowling, the way he held himself.
“He’s tall, bowls good areas, gets that bounce and pace. It’s the whole package, really. He was very much an enforcer when he bowled — just the way he went through the crease, the pace he was bowling at, the bounce, and the areas. Occasionally, he was a little bit short, but apart from that, he impressed me. He’s really developed and put his potential into action," he remarked.