According to reports, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering changing its selection procedures for Jasprit Bumrah. The Times of India claims that Bumrah may only be eligible for the upcoming Test series if he is available for every game. In contrast, he had previously said that his body could only handle three games at the current Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, and the squad adhered to that decision.
After India’s defeat at Headingley in the first Test, it was necessary to rest him. Even though the team won the second game thanks to a fresh bowling combination, India summoned Bumrah back for the following two games. Despite collecting 14 wickets at 26 and remaining the team’s top bowler throughout his games, he appeared to be experiencing cramping and minor ailments in the fourth game, which resulted in another respite for the final Test match at the Oval.
“Strength and condition (S&C) coaches can set the workload threshold for each player. But Bumrah’s availability should depend on his fitness, which the medical team will assess,” the report cited a BCCI’ source’ as saying.
Although India doesn’t have any five-test series planned until at least July 2026, Bumrah is the most crucial player for the nation in all three formats.
The team declines. “Picking and choosing” is how Bumrah puts it.
Ryan van Doeschate, India’s assistant coach, was informed of the belief that Jasprit Bumrah was “picking and choosing” Test matches. Following his first day at the Oval, he stated that the team had the last say over which games he would play and that the remark was unfair.
“It’s quite a complex issue around Bumrah, you know, we want to wheel him in, but we also want to respect where his body’s at, and based on that, we just felt that it wasn’t worth including him in the squad,” Ten Doeschate said. “… I don’t think picking and choosing is a fair comment to Bumrah, he did say he was going to play three games, he left it up to us which three he played, we’ve tried to manage the situation, it’s not ideal, I guess giving those guys attention, the guys who aren’t playing particularly when you’re carrying 18 is important,” he added.
Bumrah’s injury worries did not arise out of thin air either. In the 2024–25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, he participated in all five Test matches against Australia. He was dismissed despite stating on the stump mic that he was unable to exert more effort. He had bowled the most overs in the series at the time of his injury in the last Test match in Sydney.
