Former India coach Ravi Shastri has cautioned against giving Jasprit Bumrah five Tests in a row in England, saying the premier pacer should be given a break after two matches and the freedom to pick the game for adequate rest.
India will clash with England in an away series, beginning at Headingley on June 20, marking the beginning of the new World Test Championship (2025-27) cycle.
The back injury Bumrah suffered during the Australia tour had kept him out of Champions Trophy. The star bowler made a return to competitive cricket during the ongoing IPL, competing for Mumbai Indians.
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“I would be very, very careful (with Bumrah). I would give him two Test matches at a time and then wait for the break,” said Shastri in the latest issue of the ICC Review.
“Ideally, make him play four (Tests). 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,” said the cricketer-turned-commentator.
The legendary cricketer opined that Bumrah should be given the leeway to decide which match he wants to skip.
“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 that a fully-fit Indian pace trio of Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj will certainly trouble England.
Shami’s unavailability, Bumrah getting injured in the fifth Test and Siraj’s poor form had adversely impacted India that lost the Border-Gavaskar series 1-3.
Siraj has since made a strong comeback in the IPL for Gujarat Titans.
“I think with Siraj, Jasprit and 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….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.
With Shami too hitting his strides after missing the BGT and Champions Trophy due to a knee injury he suffered during the 2023 Cricket World Cup, Shastri said he will be the “workhorse” during the Test series in England.
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Shami was dearly missed during the Border-Gavaskar Tests with Bumrah having to take the maximum workload.
“The fact that he (Shami) puts his hand up and says, ‘I’m available for that first Test match’ means he knows his fitness levels.
“He’s a workhorse. I’ve known Shami for a long time. If he puts his mind to it, he’ll get there. And the fact that there’s Siraj and there’s Jasprit doing as well as they are, that is just the motivation he needs to step up and get to that level,” said Shastri.
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