'Don’t make him bowl....': Sourav Ganguly on managing Jasprit Bumrah’s workload during England Test series

India is gearing up for a pivotal Test series in England, entering a new phase under the leadership of Shubman Gill. With experienced players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli not participating, attention turns to a youthful squad as they navigate this transition while striving for stability in the World Test Championship cycle.

Former Indian captain and ex-BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has provided specific guidance on how to manage Jasprit Bumrah’s participation in the forthcoming five-match Test series against England. In a conversation with Boria Majumdar on Revsportz, Ganguly highlighted the necessity of limiting Bumrah’s workload.

“You’ve got to look out for him and not make him bowl more than 12-13 overs a day. Use him as a wicket-taker, and that’s the key. That’s how Gill should use him,” he stated.

Ganguly emphasized that the younger fast bowlers must take on the majority of the responsibility. He stated, “I believe four fast bowlers are important. Here, others will have to be the warhorses like Siraj, Arshdeep. Not sure about a Nitish or a Shardul Thakur. Maybe they can get some runs with the bat, but I think India need to back the seven batters and have specialist bowlers, because we need 20 wickets to win Test matches.”

Bumrah’s comeback to Test cricket is accompanied by certain limitations. The selection committee of India, headed by Ajit Agarkar has devised a strategy to oversee his workload. He is not anticipated to participate in consecutive matches. This caution is justified. Bumrah experienced a stress reaction in his back during the fifth Test against Australia in Sydney in January. This injury caused him to miss several important matches, including India’s victorious Champions Trophy campaign.

His return for the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2025 was under close observation, and although he appeared to be in good form, the medical team has indicated the necessity for a gradual reintroduction to long-format cricket.

As the England series approaches, India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir disclosed that they have yet to finalize which Tests will include Bumrah. This further emphasizes the notion that India will deploy him strategically, conserving his energy for conditions and match scenarios where he can have the greatest effect.

Gill, in his inaugural full Test captaincy role, will need to manage not only Bumrah but also an entire bowling lineup that lacks the experience of previous tours. Players such as Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh are expected to rise to the occasion and deliver the control and breakthroughs that India requires throughout the lengthy series.

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