‘Stick to white-ball cricket,’ Ashwin’s BOLD take on protecting Bumrah from injuries

Ashwin’s View on Jasprit Bumrah’s Workload

Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin expressed a strong opinion about managing fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah’s workload. According to Ashwin, the team management should prioritize Bumrah’s availability for limited-overs cricket rather than overburdening him with long Test series.

Ashwin pointed out that Bumrah is a rare fast bowler capable of dominating across all formats, but his recurring injuries pose a major concern. To ensure Bumrah’s fitness and effectiveness, Ashwin suggested that the Indian team consider limiting him primarily to white-ball formats such as ODIs and T20Is.

Bumrah’s Injury History and Comeback

Bumrah, who missed the final Test against England at The Oval earlier this year, made a successful return during India’s 2025 Asia Cup victory. He later featured in the home Test matches against West Indies and Bangladesh. Despite strong performances, there remain concerns about his workload given his history of back and knee injuries.

AB de Villiers’ Response

Former South African captain AB de Villiers supported Ashwin’s statement, agreeing that Bumrah’s unique bowling action and pace place enormous physical strain on his body. De Villiers emphasized that protecting Bumrah should be India’s highest priority, as losing him to injury before key tournaments like the World Cup could be disastrous.

“Bumrah is irreplaceable,” De Villiers noted. “If India wants him firing in big tournaments, he should be managed smarter and not overused.”

Strategic Perspective

Ashwin’s comments have reopened the debate about how India should manage its premier pace bowlers amid intense scheduling. Many cricket analysts echo the idea that maintaining Bumrah’s long-term fitness could be more valuable than overexerting him in every series.

“If we don’t protect Bumrah today, we might lose him for a crucial match tomorrow,” Ashwin remarked, drawing attention to the importance of long-term player welfare.

Author’s summary: Ashwin urged India to restrict Bumrah mainly to white-ball formats to safeguard him from frequent injuries, a suggestion backed by AB de Villiers for smarter workload management.

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WION WION — 2025-11-30

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