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New Zealand's legendary pacer Shane Bond has cautioned to both Mumbai Indians franchise and Team India about the workload management of Jasprit Bumrah. While acknowledging Bumrah's exceptional performance during Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia, Bond has warned Team India against subjecting him to a similar strenuous workload in the upcoming tour of England. He suggested that Bumrah's physical condition indicates he is precariously close to a potential fracture.
Shane Bond warns Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma of Jasprit Bumrah's workload in upcoming England series
Jasprit Bumrah, whose last competitive appearance was two months ago, is currently in a phase of recovery. While he is anticipated to make a comeback for the Mumbai Indians in the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League, a definitive date for his return has not yet been established.
Similar lower back injury sidelined Bumrah for nearly a year just two years prior. Although he made a remarkable return, arguably even more potent than before, the fact remains that he has been prone to injuries, necessitating careful management of his physical strain.
“I don't think so. He had the [2023] surgery, but he played all that [Australia] Test series and performed unbelievably. At the end of the day, he just bowled too much over a one-month period. And it hasn't cracked, he hasn't got a fracture, he is on the borderline of a fracture," former Mumbai Indians bowling coach said as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.
“But what India would have learned is, if you then look at the five-Test match series in England and they do the same thing, they are probably going to get the same result. So you can't do that. You need a squad of bowlers where you can sort of pick and choose. Because if you lose him, you have got T20 World Cups, you've got 50-overs World Cups and he's an important member across all formats, IPL, all that sort of stuff," Bond added.
Fortunately, Jasprit Bumrah has started bowling in the nets and is showing positive signs of regaining full fitness.
Bond then went on to warn BCCI and advised them to not let Bumrah bowl as many overs in England, drawing lessons from Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia.
"In Australia, it was just the sheer volume of overs that got him in the end - in those five Test matches, his performance was ridiculous, and they leaned on him a lot, and I think he might've bowled 50 overs in a Test match. You are not going to avoid an injury, you are just trying to avoid the really bad ones, and I'm hoping Bumrah can avoid another one of these. And I suppose the lesson is, you can't have him bowl that many overs again in a Test match. Forty-five might be the top, and we can't risk it because he's too valuable. And I'm sure they have got all those things considered around the bowling loads and they would have reflected on why he's had that injury," he added.
"He's a professional, Boomsy, he does everything right. All you are trying to do is prevent that... you are not going to avoid an injury, you are just trying to avoid the really bad ones, and I'm hoping he can avoid another one of these," Bond concluded.
