Former Team India head coach Ravi Shastri has suggested that head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Rohit Sharma should be mindful of Jasprit Bumrah's workload when they head to England for the upcoming five-Test series later this year. For those who may not know, Bumrah participated in all five Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy but faced a back spasm in the final match in Sydney.

This injury sidelined him for three months and prevented him from participating in the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy as well. Shastri believes the management should approach it two Tests at a time, as he ideally wants the World No. 1 Test pacer to play in four matches against England.

Bumrah was the standout performer in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, finishing with a total of 32 wickets. However, his individual performance was insufficient to secure a series victory for India, as Australia won the five-match series 3-1.

“I would exercise extreme caution with Bumrah. I would allow him to play two Test matches at a time and then consider a break. Ideally, have him feature in four. You might be tempted to make him play five if he starts off strongly, but it all depends on how his body responds,” Shastri stated on ICC Review.

“He should be given the first chance to indicate, ‘Yes, I am feeling a little niggle. A break would benefit me. ’ Provide him that break,” he continued.

Bumrah made his return to competitive cricket in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. He rejoined the field during the match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Wankhede Stadium.

Indian pace trio will pose challenges for England

The former India head coach also believes that the pace trio of Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Siraj will create significant problems for England if they remain fit throughout the series.

“I believe that with Siraj, Jasprit, and Mohammed Shami, these three, provided they are fully fit, will present England with numerous issues,” Shastri remarked.

“It’s a high-quality, elite pace attack when these three are healthy. Additionally, I appreciate that Siraj was injured after being excluded, rather than not being selected for the Champions Trophy. That’s exactly what you need,” he continued.

Shastri also commended Mohammed Siraj for putting in the effort after being overlooked for the Champions Trophy and making a commendable return for the Gujarat Titans in the IPL.

“For him to return to the drawing board and come back in the manner he has, there’s a bounce in his step, his pace is impressive, and he approaches every game with determination. This is ideal from India’s perspective with England on the horizon,” Shastri stated.

The five-match Test series between India and England is set to commence on June 20 in Leeds. The final Test will begin on July 31 at the Oval.

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