Jasprit Bumrah featured in only three matches during the recent England series. Former India bowling coach Bharat Arun has weighed in on the pacer’s workload, suggesting that Bumrah should consider skipping the Indian Premier League (IPL) if a five-match Test series is on the horizon.
Jasprit Bumrah workload has been a persistent talking point in Indian cricket. He played just three Tests against England, missing two crucial matches when the series was finely poised. Earlier, after featuring in five games of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024–25, Jasprit Bumrah picked up an injury that ruled him out of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. On his return, he restricted himself to only three Tests against England — a move the management supported, given his importance to the team.
Arun stressed that the IPL could be skipped in such situations to ensure Jasprit Bumrah long-term fitness, adding that the BCCI should fairly compensate him for missing the lucrative league. Speaking to Times Internet, he said:
“Definitely, this would help, especially when you want to preserve bowlers. It’s fine for a batter or a spinner to play across formats, but for a fast bowler, too much cricket leaves little time to work on physical conditioning.
“So yes, this should be considered. Bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah, or anyone deemed crucial for a particular series, can be rested and adequately compensated. If he’s paid fairly and the BCCI — since he’s a contracted player — asks him to focus on certain aspects of his game, I think that’s completely fair.”
Jasprit Bumrah: Bharat Arun on Mohammed Siraj: “He is every captain’s delight.”
Bharat Arun praised Mohammed Siraj for his outstanding efforts, highlighting the energy he brings to the team. He stressed that the pacer must be managed carefully and given enough rest. Arun said:
“Siraj has been around for a while now, and he has been exceptional. He’s a captain’s delight. Every time you hand him the ball, he runs in and gives his absolute best. That’s exactly what you want from a fast bowler — he has incredible energy.”
Speaking about the recently concluded five-Test series, Arun added:
“From the first Test to the fifth, Siraj maintained the same intensity throughout. That’s why it’s important to preserve him and ensure he gets sufficient rest before the next assignment so that he can recover fully.”
Siraj was not named in India’s Asia Cup 2025 squad as he has been rested after bowling more than 180 overs in the England series. However, he is expected to make his return for the West Indies series in October.