Former India batter Sunil Gavaskar said Jasprit Bumrah will not have any problem in playing the entire Asia Cup without India worrying about managing his workload. The Express pacer Jasprit Bumrah had come under a lot of flak from critics recently after he was rested in 2 Test matches in India’s recent 5-match tour of England.
Former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar spoke on the much-talked-about workload management of star pacer Jasprit Bumrah ahead of the Asia Cup 2025. Jasprit Bumrah’s workload has been carefully managed in the recent times, keeping in mind the crucial tournaments coming ahead. The ace pacer has been named in India’s squad for the Asia Cup 2025 despite having played three matches in the five-match Test series against England that concluded early August.
Despite criticism surrounding the workload management plan of Jasprit Bumrah, chief selector Ajit Agarkar on Tuesday (August 19, 2025) asserted that the way the pace talisman is handled will not be changed as they want him “available for all the big games.” Jasprit Bumrah has been included in India’s 15-member T20 squad for the Asia Cup starting September 9 in the UAE. There have been some sharp talks after Jasprit Bumrah played only three out of the five matches at the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England, citing workload management.
There were some doubts on Jasprit Bumrah’s availability for the upcoming continental tournament largely due to the proximity to the home Test series against the West Indies in October. But the selectors opted to pick him and this will be Jasprit Bumrah’s first T20 tournament since last year’s World Cup. Agarkar said Jasprit Bumrah’s selection for future events will depend on his body condition at that time, and it will be discussed with everyone concerned.
Since establishing himself as India’s spearhead across formats,Jasprit Bumrah has endured a string of injuries that have sidelined him from several key contests, including the 2025 Champions Trophy. His game time has been managed carefully, with the pacer featuring in only three of the five Tests in the recent England tour.
Alongside Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana were named as the specialist fast bowlers. Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube will provide balance as fast-bowling all-rounders. Jasprit Bumrah, who has only played Test cricket since last year’s T20 World Cup final, was rested from limited-overs assignments and also missed the ICC Champions Trophy due to injury.
Jasprit Bumrah’s impressive form in white ball cricket
With his unorthodox action and unflappable temperament, Jasprit Bumrah has been India’s go-to match-winner for nearly a decade, delivering, time and again, in high-stakes situations, most notably at the T20 World Cup 2024.In India, where spinners have traditionally dominated the wicket-taking charts, Bumrah has quietly led a pace revolution.
Since his international debut in 2016, Bumrah has delivered in every condition and situation imaginable – with the new ball, at the death, under the lights or under pressure. In SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia), Bumrah is the only Asian bowler to pick up over 150 Test wickets, more than legends like Wasim Akram (146), Anil Kumble (141), Ishant Sharma (130) and Muttiah Muralitharan (125).
In July 2025 against England at Lord’s, Bumrah registered his 13th Test fifer away from home in 35 matches, breaking Kapil Dev’s record of 12 in 66 games. At the T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA and the West Indies, Bumrah finished with 15 wickets from eight matches at an average of 8.26 and an economy of just 4.17 – the lowest by any bowler across all T20 World Cup editions.
When South Africa needed a run-a-ball in the last five overs in the final, Bumrah’s last two overs produced six runs and a wicket. India eventually won the match by seven runs, with Bumrah finishing with 2/18 off his four overs. His performances also earned him the Player of the Tournament award.
Impact aside, the numbers cement Jasprit Bumrah’s place in the fast-bowling hall of fame. But how does he stack up against India’s best from across the eras. Let’s take a look! Jasprit Bumrah, still only 31, has represented India in over 200 matches across formats, picking up more than 450 wickets.
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has brushed aside concerns regarding Jasprit Bumrah’s workload as India prepares for the Asia Cup 2025 in Dubai. With the star pacer set to lead India’s bowling attack in the continental T20 tournament, Sunil Gavaskar believes the format itself ensures that Bumrah will not be under excessive pressure.
Asia Cup 2025 won’t be any problem for Jasprit Bumrah- Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Gavaskar believes that India should not face any workload concerns about Jasprit Bumrah in the 2025 Asia Cup because of the comparatively low effort required in bowling only staggered spells of four overs each.
The tournament begins on September 9, with India’s first match being against the UAE on September 10. Bumrah and workload have become synonyms since January when he picked up a serious back injury, raising concerns that a couple more of those could be career-altering for one India’s greatest.
He missed two Tests in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, including the deciding fifth game when he was with the squad at the start of it, which was all part of the team’s plan to not put his body under unbearable pressure. That had ripple effects, with some wondering whether he’d be rested entirely from the Asia Cup and now that he has been picked in the squad, there are doubts over how many matched would he play.
“In this Asia Cup, it is just a question of bowling four overs and that too it is not four overs at a stretch…” Gavaskar told the media, as quoted by PTI.
“So I don’t think there will be any problem for him to play this tournament. I mean there will be no workload problem for him because he has to bowl only four overs and there can be no problem,” he added.
Gavaskar also spoke about the team’s bowling combination, believing that Bumrah could be supported by two more specialist pacers, with Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya providing all-round prowess and Kuldeep Yadav being the lone specialist spinner.
“My feeling is that they might not extend the batting to No. 8 and look for the bowlers, maybe Kuldeep at 8 and then 9, 10, 11, your 3 fast bowlers. So it actually makes it 4 fast bowlers when you include Hardik Pandya and two spinners as six bowlers in your team, which is always very good to have because sometimes if one bowler is having a bad day, you want somebody else who can come in and bowl for him,” he added.
India will open their Asia Cup campaign on September 10 against hosts UAE, followed by high-voltage clashes against Pakistan and Oman. Gavaskar feels that even if India chooses to rotate bowlers during the group stage, Jasprit Bumrah’s presence will remain vital in the knockout matches.
For fans, Gavaskar’s words are a sign of relief. Jasprit Bumrah, widely regarded as one of the best fast bowlers in world cricket, can turn matches in just a couple of overs. With the Asia Cup acting as a key preparation for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, India will hope their pace spearhead delivers at his very best.
The Men in Blue will kick off their Asia Cup campaign against the UAE on September 10, while the high-voltage game against arch-rivals Pakistan is scheduled for September 14, with both fixtures set to be played in Dubai. Meanwhile, Suryakumar Yadav and Co. will play their final group stage fixture against Oman on September 19 in Abu Dhabi.
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