Ravi Shastri, who is formerly the coach of India, is asking the selection committee to use Jasprit Bumrah as little as possible in limited-overs cricket prior to the 2027 ODI World Cup, on the grounds that India cannot afford to overwork its most important fast bowler. Since Bumrah had back surgery in 2023 and suffered a further injury problem in 2026, the discussion is no more just about resting a top player; it is about making sure that one of India’s most valuable match-winners is fit when the World Cup arrives.
Jasprit Bumrah has given India an odd situation.
When he is fit, it is almost impossible to leave him out; but if you play him every time he is available it may become more difficult to make sure that he remains fit when India needs him most.
Which is why Ravi Shastri thinks that India should resist the temptation to use the Bumrah in all the formats next year.
Shastri told the Indian media that Bumrah shouldn’t play all three forms of the game until the ODI World Cup, stating that he should continue with Test cricket while taking part only selectively in ODIs and T20 internationals.
Why Is Ravi Shastri Worried About Bumrah’s Workload?
The reason for the concern is largely due to Bumrah’s injury history.
In 2023 the fast bowler had surgery on his back and as a result was absent from international cricket for a long time.
He was also excluded from India’s two-Test series against Sri Lanka in August 2026 due to an injury to his left knee. According to the ICC, he had been dealing with the knee problem since the 2026 T20 World Cup and suffered a recurrence of the pain after going back to ODI cricket against England.
Bumrah then played in India’s T20 series against Afghanistan and also took part in the Asian Games, at which India won the men’s cricket gold medal.
He has now been included in India’s Test squad for the forthcoming series in New Zealand, but he was deliberately left out of the earlier ODI and T20 matches.
That is precisely the approach which Shastri wants India to keep up.
Why Fast Bowlers Need Different Workload Management
The physical demands placed on the body by fast bowling are unusually high.
Each delivery involves a sprint, a jump, a forceful landing, a quick rotation and a powerful upper-body movement. A fast bowler who is in the frontline can carry out that sequence hundreds of times in a Test match.
The fact that Bumrah has taken this unorthodox action also makes him different from a typical fast bowler, even if that does not necessarily mean it leads to injuries.
The main problem is the amount.
If Bumrah continues to play international matches in the form of Tests, ODIs and T20 games as well as domestic franchise cricket the total amount of work he has to do could become very heavy.
For India workload management need not involve leaving Bumrah away from cricket for long periods; it simply means deciding which games actually need him.
Why Tests Still Matter in Shastri’s Plan
It is interesting that Shastri is not advocating for India to keep Bumrah by excluding him from Test cricket.
He thinks that the tests should continue to be the top priority.
Shastri stated that it would be better to keep him for the Test matches, describing Bumrah as an important member of India’s Test team.
There is a good reason for that when it comes to cricket.
Bumrah has an outstanding record in Test matches, scoring less than 20 runs per innings in over 50 Tests, and since he is capable of taking wickets with both the new ball and the old ball, India has something very difficult to replace, especially when playing abroad.
India’s forthcoming Test series will also feature a major five-match home series against Australia, which will start in January 2027.
It is a difficult balancing act since India would like Bumrah to be available for the important Test matches while at the same time preparing him for the ODI World Cup later in the year.
The 2027 World Cup Changes the Calculation
The following Men’s ODI World Cup will take place from 2 October to 21 November 2027 in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
One of the reasons why Bumrah could become especially valuable is the situation in southern Africa.
Fast bowlers can play a important role on pitches which provide pace, bounce or movement, and since Bumrah is able to bowl with the new ball during the middle overs and in the death overs he is one of India’s most versatile bowling choices.
The head coach, Gautam Gambhir, has already admitted how important it is to handle Bumrah with care.
When talking about their World Cup preparations in September, Gambhir stated that India needed to work out the best combination of workload and game time for Bumrah while balancing his ODI cricket with his Test commitments.
That is the main point of difference.
It would be impossible for India to leave Bumrah out for a whole year and then expect him to be ready for the World Cup.
He still needs a sufficient amount of ODI cricket so as to keep his rhythm, understand the combinations with the other bowlers, and adjust to the tactical requirements of the 50-over format.
India Has Already Started Resting Bumrah Selectively
There are indications that India has already taken up this philosophy.
In 2026, Bumrah was left out of the series against Afghanistan as the selectors decided to manage his workload following a busy period.
For his forthcoming tour of New Zealand he has once again been chosen for the two Test matches and has left out the five-match ODI series.
In 2027, India will play a limited-overs series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe before the five-Test series against Australia ends in March.
They therefore have many opportunities to provide Bumrah with ODI experience without having to ask him to play in every game.
India Also Needs a Plan Without Bumrah
There’s another advantage in keeping him at rest.
In order for India to feel at ease in taking the attack, it will need other fast bowlers.
Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and the other pacers need to be given important international spells rather than only playing when Bumrah is not available.
If the Indian team becomes too reliant on a single bowler then Bumrah’s failure to take part in a major tournament could seriously undermine the team.
A well-thought-out workload plan thus has two objectives: it safeguards Bumrah and helps to develop the attack involving him.
Workload Management Could Be as Important as Selection
The question India will face before the 2027 World Cup is not whether to include Bumrah in its best eleven.
It is obvious what he says when he is healthy.
The real question is how often India should use him before reaching the destination.
Although Shastri’s recommendation may seem conservative, Bumrah’s injury record makes the reasoning hard to dismiss.
India will not require Jasprit Bumrah in every bilateral ODI or T20 match over the next 12 months.
It has to have him in good condition, alert, and ready when the most important matches come around.
For India, managing Bumrah may now be just as important as selecting him.
