India’s star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah might play all five Test matches in the upcoming series against England – but there’s a catch. It will only be possible if the other bowlers in the team share the workload and don’t leave all the hard work to him.
Over the years, Bumrah has had injury issues, especially with his back. He missed many matches, including almost a year of cricket and even India’s recent Champions Trophy win. That’s why the team is being careful about how much he bowls.
India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir has already said that Bumrah won’t play every match. The series will be played at five venues – Leeds, Birmingham, London (twice), and Manchester – but it’s still unclear which games he’ll be rested for.
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However, former bowling coach Bharat Arun believes that Bumrah can play in all five matches if the other bowlers step up and help. Arun explained that Bumrah can avoid injury if the number of overs he bowls in matches is balanced with proper recovery – like working in the gym or spending time with the physios.
Arun said, “If the team supports him well and he doesn’t have to carry the whole load like he did in Australia, then there’s a good chance he can play all five matches.”
He added that Bumrah’s presence is very important for the team, as it lifts the confidence of other players too. So instead of deciding in advance when Bumrah should rest, the team should take it match by match, based on how much support he’s getting from others.
Who Will Bowl With Bumrah?
According to Arun, Mohammed Siraj is the obvious partner for Bumrah. He also wants to include Arshdeep Singh, who is a left-arm fast bowler and can trouble batsmen because left-arm pace is rare.
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For the final bowling spot, the choice will be between Nitish Kumar Reddy and Shardul Thakur. Shardul also adds value with his batting. The decision will depend on who is performing better at the time.
