BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar didn’t filter his words as he suggested that ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah will not be available for all five Tests in the upcoming tour of England due to workload management concerns.

Agarkar’s comment came while announcing India’s 18-member squad for the England tour, slated to get underway on June 20 in Leeds.

Addressing a press conference, Agarkar explained that the decision was based on input from the physios and doctors.

"I don’t think he is available for five Tests, as far as the physios and the doctors have told us," Agarkar said on Saturday (May 24).

"Whether it’s four, three, we will see how the series goes and how his body takes the workload. He is very important to us. Even if he is fit for three or four Test matches, he is going to win us Test matches.

"We are glad he is fit and the setback he had in Australia wasn’t too bad. He has started playing again, I know it’s T20 cricket at the moment, but we have seen what he is doing in the IPL. I am very happy he is part of the squad," he added.

“He had led in Australia, and he was vice-captain. But once he wasn't available for all the matches… I think he's more important for us as a player. There's always an extra burden when you're playing and also managing 15-16 players. It takes a lot out of you. We'd rather have him as player. He's aware about it, he's okay about it and he knows where his body is at the moment,” Agarkar said on Bumrah not being handed captaincy for the England tour.

With Rohit Sharma retiring from the traditional format earlier this month, the selection committee appointed Shubman Gill as India's 37th Test skipper while Rishabh Pant was named the vice-captain.

Interestingly, Shubman was picked ahead of Bumrah, who had already captained India in three Tests, including two matches in the absence of Rohit during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25.

Bumrah's history with injuries and workload management concerns seem to have influenced the selectors' decision to not name him as full-time Test captain.

Earlier this year, Bumrah missed India's triumphant Champions Trophy campaign due to the back injury but he has returned to play in the IPL 2025 for Mumbai Indians.

Senior pacer Mohammad Shami’s snub from the Test squad was a notable one. Agarkar revealed that the right-arm quick has been ruled out due to fitness issues.

"Yeah, we have sort of been in communication with him. He (Shami) has been trying to get fit for the Test series. I don't think he is fit enough to play five Tests at the moment. I don't think his fitness is where it needs to be. It's just the medical guys who have told us that he has been ruled out of the series.

"Unfortunately. We were hoping that he would be available for us at some part of the series. If he is not fit at the moment, it's difficult playing the waiting game. We thought we would rather plan with the guys who are available. We wanted to try and pick him. But, at the moment, he is not fit," Agarkar remarked.

(With India Today Inputs)