Ravi Shastri Urges India to Limit Jasprit Bumrah’s Workload Ahead of 2027 ODI World Cup
Former coach Ravi Shastri advises India to prioritize Test cricket for Jasprit Bumrah to ensure his fitness for the upcoming 2027 ODI World Cup tournament.
POLICY WIRE — New Delhi, India — Former head coach Ravi Shastri has advised Indian cricket management to carefully manage the workload of pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah. Shastri suggests that the team should prioritize Bumrah for Test cricket while utilizing him sparingly across other formats to ensure he remains fit for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
The 32-year-old bowler has faced significant career disruptions due to back injuries, which necessitated surgery in 2023. More recently, a left knee injury forced him to miss a two-test series against Sri Lanka in August, though he successfully returned to T20 action at the Asian Games to help secure a gold medal for India.
Addressing the media on Sunday, Shastri, who led the Indian team from 2017 to 2021, stated, I do not think he should play all three formats till the ODI World Cup. He emphasized that Bumrah is a vital member of the Test side and should only appear sporadically in one-day internationals and T20 matches to avoid overexertion.
Bumrah has been recalled to the Test squad for the upcoming two-match series in New Zealand. However, he is not slated to participate in the five ODIs and five Twenty20 internationals scheduled prior to those matches.
Following the New Zealand tour, India is set to host limited-overs series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. This will be followed by a five-test series against Australia, which is scheduled to conclude in February. The 2027 World Cup is slated to take place in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia from October 2 to November 21.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
