Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has suggested that India manage Jasprit Bumrah’s workload to keep the pace bowler fresh for next year’s ODI World Cup. He recommended using Bumrah sparingly in limited-overs cricket while prioritising him for Test matches.
Shastri’s remarks follow Bumrah’s return to India’s Test squad for a two-match series in New Zealand last week. He will not feature in the five ODIs and five Twenty20 internationals that come before those Tests.
Bumrah’s injury history and recent comeback
Bumrah’s career has been interrupted by back injuries, and the 32-year-old had surgery in 2023. He was sidelined from a two-Test series against Sri Lanka in August because of a left knee problem, but he came back to T20 action at the Asian Games, where he helped India win gold.
Shastri’s view on managing formats
Shastri, who coached India from 2017 to 2021, told Indian media on Sunday that he did not think Bumrah should play all three formats before the ODI World Cup. “I would rather preserve him for the test matches. That’s very important,” he said. He added that Bumrah should play Tests, appear sporadically in ODIs and T20s, and should not play the entire schedule.
India’s schedule ahead of the 2027 World Cup
After the New Zealand tour, India will host Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in limited-overs series. They will then host Australia in a five-Test series that concludes in February. The 2027 World Cup will be staged in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia from October 2 to November 21.
