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STUMP VISION AUGUST 08, 2025 | The Indian Eye 51

Bumrah Breaks Down Again—Is India

Too Dependent on Its Pace Ace?

As Jasprit Bumrah sits out the series decider against England, concerns grow over India’s heavy reliance

on its injury-prone pace spearhead — and the urgent need to build a stronger fast-bowling bench

ASIM KHANNA
London (UK)

n what could have been a decisive Test for In-
dia at The Oval, one man was conspicuously
Imissing: Jasprit Bumrah. The leader of India’s
pace attack was expected to play a crucial role on a
green top tailor-made for fast bowlers. But instead,
he was released from the squad — a move that has
reignited a debate that Indian cricket can no longer
afford to ignore: is India placing too much pressure
on one man’s shoulders?
India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate
called the decision “complex,” admitting that while
the team was eager to “wheel him out,” Bumrah’s
physical condition could not be ignored. “We also
want to respect where his body is at,” he said. Bum-
rah, it turns out, was never intended to play more
than three of the five Tests in the Anderson-Ten-
dulkar Trophy, as part of a strict workload man-
agement plan crafted by the selectors and support
staff. But even within those constraints, the toll has
been visible.
Across three Tests, Bumrah has bowled more
overs than any other Indian pacer — a staggering
119.3 in just five innings. While Mohammed Siraj,
the next busiest, has bowled 107.3, Bumrah’s in-
tensity and match-turning spells require far more
energy per delivery. The result? He has picked up
14 wickets and remains India’s top wicket-taker in
the series, but signs of strain were unmistakable in Jasprit Bumrah celebrates the wicket of England’s Liam Dawson during day 4 of the 4th test match, at Old Trafford stadium in
the fourth Test in Manchester. Manchester on Saturday. (@BCCI X/ANI Photo)
In what turned out to be his most expensive
Test spell (2/112), Bumrah was seen hobbling, re-
portedly after injuring his ankle on the stadium names still trying to find their footing at the highest der-Gavaskar Trophy, a WTC Final push, and the
stairs. At one point, he had to walk off after just level. Even Shardul Thakur, known more for his Champions Trophy in 2025. Burning him out now
one over with the new ball, his pace dipping below lower-order hitting, is now a regular fixture. While could mean losing him for all of it. But in the long
140 kph — a worrying indicator for a bowler whose Mohammed Siraj continues to be a workhorse, his term, the question remains: who is India grooming
bite comes from sharp speed and seam movement. rhythm has been inconsistent across the tour. to share that load?
While he returned to the field, it was clear he This exposes a painful truth: India lacks a sec- Ryan ten Doeschate hinted that Bumrah him-
wasn’t operating at full capacity. ond-line pace battery capable of stepping up when self left the choice of which three Tests he would
The concern isn’t new. Bumrah has long Bumrah is unavailable. India seems increasingly play to the team. “He did say he was going to
been injury-prone, owing to his unique action and over-reliant on Bumrah to produce breakthroughs, play three games. He left it up to us which three
high-effort release. He missed nearly a year of in- reverse momentum, and hold one end tight. The he played,” Doeschate said. That’s admirable, but
ternational cricket between 2022 and 2023 due to problem is not just physical; it’s systemic. There’s also worrying. It suggests a reality where the team
a back stress reaction, a recurrence of which has been a glaring lack of investment in developing fast tiptoes around the availability of its lead bowler,
the Indian team treading extremely carefully. But bowlers with red-ball temperament at the domestic rather than planning with a broader pool of trusted
can a top-tier cricketing nation like India really af- level. The Ranji Trophy has often been treated as pacers.
ford to depend on a bowler who is so frequently a stepping stone to IPL riches, not Test excellence. If India wants to dominate red-ball cricket in
unavailable? Without sustained grooming and long spells in the years to come, it needs to act now: unearth tal-
The answer lies in the team sheet. With Bum- first-class cricket, few Indian pacers are being truly ent, invest in fitness, prioritize red-ball grooming,
rah out, India turned to Prasidh Krishna, a bowler prepared for the rigours of five-day combat. and above all, build a pace arsenal that doesn’t
with promise but nowhere near the experience or In the short term, Bumrah’s careful manage- collapse every time Jasprit Bumrah needs to rest.
reliability of the 31-year-old speedster. Alongside ment is understandable — even necessary. India Because without that, India’s pace dream might
him were Akash Deep and Arshdeep Singh — has a packed schedule ahead, including the Bor- just remain a one-man show — brilliant but brittle.

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