BCCI told to start thinking beyond Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami in Tests; ‘Can't pick and choose to manage workload'
Following the first Test in Leeds, the Indian team got a seven-day gap before the second Test at Edgbaston, which is believed to be enough for a fast bowler. Pathan felt Bumrah's on and off from the Indian playing XI is disturbing the stability of the bowling attack, especially.
'If you are selected in the Indian team, you cannot pick and choose (which match to play) to manage your workload,' said Pathan on Sony Sports, who had played 29 Tests, 120 ODIs and 24 T20Is for India. 'There is no other bowler like him, he is world class.
"But here, you are not missing the match for injury but for 'workload management'. Now Akash Deep will take his place, and be expected to do well as soon as he comes — and maybe he does — but any bowler needs time to settle in. That continuity is needed,' explained Pathan, the only cricketer to take a Test hattrick in the first over of a match.
The Indian management's decision to not play Bumrah in all the five Tests in England stemmed during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia when the pacer had injured his back in the fifth and final Test in Sydney. That injury kept him out for almost three months.
On the other hand, Shami, who was out of action for more than a year, returned to international cricket in February and was a part of the Indian team that won the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. He then played in the Indian Premier League for Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Pathan suggested that the BCCI should now look beyond Bumrah and Shami in the longest format of the game. 'This is why I have been saying that Indian cricket has to start thinking about playing without Bumrah and (Mohammed) Shami. They have to start planning for playing without them in Test cricket,' he added.
Pathan delved deeper into the consequences of not having Bumrah in all the matches and how it is affecting Indian cricket. 'The main fast bowler of the lineup cannot play all five Tests overseas, so firstly, India don't have Bumrah's services throughout the series and secondly, his replacement, a younger player, is only getting a chance to play when he doesn't. So he does not have stability,' he added.
'This is the only overseas five-match series of the new World Test Championship cycle. This was the series in which Bumrah was needed most. If he had a niggle or an injury, I would understand. But just to manage his workload? Then I don't think this is coming to India's advantage,' concluded Pathan.
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