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Amidst the ongoing discussion surrounding Jasprit Bumrah's fitness and workload management during the series in England, Soham Desai, India's former strength and conditioning coach has come up with an advice for Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on how they can keep the injury-prone Jasprit Bumrah fit and yet optimise them full as long as the superstar pacer is playing for Team India.
Soham Desai on Jasprit Bumrah's workload management
Concerns have arisen regarding Jasprit Bumrah's participation in the crucial fourth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England. Selectors have already indicated that Bumrah will only feature in a maximum of three Tests in the series. Having played in two matches already, he is now eligible for only one of the remaining fixtures. However, there are growing calls for him to play in both the fourth and fifth Tests to bolster India's chances of winning the five-match series.
While the Indian team management is wary of risking Bumrah, especially considering his previous injury sustained during the tour of Australia after playing all five Tests, which also led to him missing the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Desai acknowledged that Bumrah requires specialized care, unlike other players.
The former strength and conditioning coach emphasised that Bumrah's exceptional talent was evident from his early days in Gujarat cricket, but his career has not been without its challenges. Desai admitted that ensuring Bumrah's readiness for major matches is a complex task that necessitates a meticulously planned and executed strategy by India's fitness and support staff over the years.
Desai further revealed that injuries, particularly to Bumrah's back and knee, have compelled the Indian team to adopt a unique approach to his management. He explained that India prioritizes Bumrah for the most significant matches and meticulously plans his training regimen, ensuring consistent oversight of his fitness by a dedicated group of professionals.
“I have been with him since 2014, when he was on RTP from his ACL injury, from his Gujarat Ranji Trophy days. He is special, a gifted guy who has worked immensely to become one of a kind. To manage guys like him, we need a cohesive, collective, and collaborative approach with a long-term vision driving the decisions and, ideally, with great consistency in personnel around him,” Soham Desai was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.
Elaborating on this strategy, the former strength and conditioning coach mentioned that a small, reliable team closely monitors Bumrah's training and recuperation. Their primary focus is to ensure his peak fitness for a select few crucial series each year, enabling him to perform at his absolute best without increasing the risk of injury.
“The All Blacks, the famous rugby team of New Zealand, had only one S&C for more than a decade, and he oversees the prep for the guys even when they go to their states. One guy, one team, one approach, and one vision working through years. A similar thing happened with Pat Cummins. He faced several setbacks at the start of his career. Then he was pulled back, and one set of professionals worked on him for 2-4 seasons. Bumrah is an asset and needs to be handled smartly. A small team needs to handle him, prepare him for surgical strikes a few times a year, and be smart around him at other times,” Desai concluded.
It will be interesting to see whether Bumrah will play the fourth Test against England in Manchester or ends up missing it.
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