Follow UsJasprit Bumrah had a miraculous 2024 overall, scalping 85 Test wickets at an average of 14.92, but it didn’t end the way it should have. Bumrah carried the Indian team like a tiger in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, but the lack of workload management caused a stress fracture on his back, which further ruled him out of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Bumrah made a comeback in the middle of the IPL 2025 and has been in very good form since then, but former Indian coach Ravi Shastri threw caution to the wind by stating, the team management need to use him carefully instead of getting carried away.
“I would be very, very careful with Bumrah. I would give him two Test matches at a time and then wait for the break. Ideally, make him play four. You'll be tempted to make him play five if he starts off in a great manner, but it's how his body pulls up," Shastri said on ICC Review.
“He should be given the first opportunity to say, ‘Yes, a little, I am feeling the niggle. A break would help.’ Give him that break," he added.
In all probability, India will field the troika of Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and Bumrah in England, except for the all-round prowess of Nitish Kumar Reddy. Shastri believes that it is a wonderful attack that can cause a lot of problems for England.
"I think with Siraj, Jasprit and Mohammed Shami, these three, if they are fully fit, they will give England heaps of problems. It's a quality, top-class pace attack when you get these three fit. And what I like about Siraj, I'm glad he was hurt after being put out, not in the side for the Champions Trophy. That's what you want," Shastri added.
"For him to go back to the drawing board and come back the way he has, there's a spring in his stride, the pace is up there, and he means business game after game. And that is perfect from India's point of view with England coming up," said Shastri.
India and England will lock horns in a five-match Test series from June 20 in Leeds.