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NEW DELHI: As Team India kicks off its new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle against England, all eyes are on how the team manages Jasprit Bumrah’s workload. With legends like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin retiring, head coach Gautam Gambhir and new captain Shubman Gill begin their tenure under intense scrutiny — and with a clear focus on preserving their pace spearhead.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Bumrah, who played all five Tests against Australia recently, is returning from a back injury and won’t feature in all five matches of this England tour. “He will play only three Tests,” Gambhir confirmed before the team’s departure, echoing chief selector Ajit Agarkar, who cited medical advice behind the decision.
Former NCA head physiotherapist Ashish Kaushik stressed that managing a fast bowler’s load is more complex than counting overs.
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“There is an acute to chronic workload ratio for every player,” Kaushik told SportsBoom.com. “Going above or below that threshold increases injury risk. Workload includes bowling, fielding, training — not just match play.”Kaushik, who helped Bumrah recover from a stress fracture in 2019, warned that under-preparation can be just as dangerous as overuse.“As much as you can be over-bowled, you can be under-bowled too. Bodies must stay in the ‘safe zone’ — conditioned to the level expected in match intensity,” he said.He urged the support staff to ensure players recover adequately. “Sleep, nutrition, and emotional recovery are essential. They keep players fresh and reduce injury risks.”Importantly, Kaushik advised against compromising training intensity. “Bowlers need strength to last multiple spells. That only comes from enough ground time and conditioning.”As Team India looks to rebuild, how they manage Bumrah — arguably their most vital weapon — could shape the early fortunes of their WTC campaign.
