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Jasprit Bumrah has spent most of the year battling scrutiny over his workload, especially after featuring in only three Tests during the Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy against England. Since then, however, the spearhead has barely had a moment’s pause. He has appeared in the Asia Cup, two Tests in the West Indies, five T20Is against Australia, and the full two-Test series against South Africa. The only cricket he has skipped recently is the ODI leg, and he is now gearing up for the five-match T20I series against the Proteas starting December 9. The current management has remained cautious with Bumrah ever since he pulled out of the final Border–Gavaskar Test in January following a back spasm. At 31, with his match-winning ability unmatched, his fitness is treated as non-negotiable.
Amid the ongoing debate about how much cricket Bumrah should play, Ravichandran Ashwin has offered a bold view of his own. Speaking to AB de Villiers on YouTube, Ashwin said that if he had his way, Bumrah would be used sparingly in Test cricket and protected for white-ball assignments. Ashwin explained, “If I were anywhere near him, I’d tell him to stick to white-ball cricket. Unless India desperately need him, don’t step into the Test side. But I know him well. He loves the format and wants to keep playing despite the challenge.” The off-spinner went further, suggesting that Bumrah should only feature in high-value Tests. “For India’s sake and Bumrah’s sake, I’d rather he focus on T20 cricket. Not waste energy on meaningless ODIs. Play only the Tests that matter, especially the away ones. And we should be developing a group of fast bowlers for home conditions anyway.” Ashwin backed his stance by calling Bumrah irreplaceable. He described the fast bowler as a “treasure”, someone whose rare action gives him both an edge and a higher physical toll, which makes careful workload management essential. AB de Villiers echoed the sentiment, proposing an even stricter approach. The former South Africa captain said that if the decision were his, Bumrah would not play any Test in subcontinental conditions. “I’d pull him out of all the home and Asian Tests,” de Villiers said. “Use him only in Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and England. Keep him fresh for those, and let him focus on the white-ball formats where World Cups are on the line.” Together, the two greats have reignited the conversation around how India’s most valuable fast bowler should be handled – and whether the time has come for a more selective, high-stakes Test role for Jasprit Bumrah.
