Jasprit Bumrah is leading India’s pace department at the ongoing 2025 Asia Cup. The pacer and BCCI have already reached an agreement to manage his workload. He featured in three Tests in the India vs England Test series. When the visitors were trailing 1-2, with one match to go, he was rested to manage his workload.
In his absence, Mohammed Siraj led the pace department in the final Test and put in a Player of the Match performance.
Bumrah is fresh for the ongoing Asia Cup and didn’t have much to do in India’s opening win vs UAE. They are set to face Pakistan in their next fixture, on Sunday, and it is expected to be a blockbuster showdown.
Umar Gul on rotation policy
Recently, Pakistan legend Umar Gul was asked about Bumrah’s workload management and India’s rotation policy. He pointed out that Pakistan can’t have such a system as it might lead to insecurity among established players.
“Unfortunately, in our (Pakistan cricket’s) system, in our culture, the problem is that when we also used to play, any senior player was hesitant. If he’s even 70-80% fit, he would say, ‘I want to play’. This was because if another player comes in and performs, then a rotation policy is not in our culture. We only look at the performance: this new guy has performed, so bring him in and let him play. So, I think this trust should be developed (in Pakistan cricket culture) and the rotation policy should be there. Your priority should be the senior player when he gets fit, you should play him,” he said, on PTV.
Praising the Indian cricket system for managing injuries of established stars, he added, “Players also have a responsibility, so does the management, even your trainers and your medical staff. Both sides have a responsibility (when it comes to injuries and rehab). I’ll say the player’s responsibility is because if a player is injured, he himself knows the most about how he is feeling from the inside. What caused the injury? The doctor will tell you and will inform you that you should rest for two weeks, or five weeks. But the players themselves know from the inside how much rest they need and when they are ready.”
“The rehab for players is very important. I think we (Pakistan) have some players who, after their injury, their rehab was not perfect, so their pace which gets lost or goes down a little, the rehab has a big role in that as well. So, I think India have a system. The rehab that the doctor tells you to do for six or five weeks, it means they are giving you an extra week so that you have a complete recovery. Plus, the most important thing is the rotation policy, right? Or we say that Bumrah is rested and is only played in World Cup or ICC events. So, the confidence that our premium bowler will be the first priority when he comes back after being fit.”
In India’s opener vs UAE, Bumrah bowled three overs, conceding 19 runs and also took a wicket.
