Former South Africa AB de Villiers has said that India should have managed Jasprit Bumrah’s workload better and had him ready to play all five tests in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.
He cited the example of how South Africa used to manage the workload of Dale Steyn during a high stake clash, suggesting India may have missed it with Jasprit Bumrah.
Ahead of the India’s tour of England 2025, the team management and Jasprit Bumrah has confirmed that the World’s top pacer would play only three of the five match test series in England.
Despite his inclusion in the series opener in Leeds, India suffered a five-wicket defeat. Jasprit Bumrah picked up a five-wicket haul but his effort lacking support from the rest of the bowling unit wasn’t enough.
Despite the defeat, India head coach Gautam Gambhir reiterated that the team’s plan regarding Bumrah remains unchanged. He will be featuring in only two more tests in the series.
On India’s first training day in Birmingham, Jasprit Bumrah did not bowl. However, the hopes of his inclusion were revived when he bowled at full tilt in the nets on Saturday.
Speaking on his Youtube channel, AB de Villiers said that India might suprise by playing Bumrah in all five tests.
“It is unfortunate that, with an inexperienced bowling attack, he’s not going to play all the Test matches-or at least that’s what the media and press seem to be saying,” said the South African legend.
“Maybe it’s all part of a surprise. They’re saying ‘we are thinking of resting Bumrah’, but then he ends up playing all five Tests. India are 1-0 down-hopefully that will be the surprise,” he added.
“But perhaps this is also an opportunity for someone like Arshdeep Singh or Kuldeep Yadav to step up,” said de Villiers.
It remains unlikely Jasprit Bumrah will play more than three Tests, given how clear he has been about his fitness and workload management.
AB de Villiers maintained that India should have planned better to ensure Jasprit Bumrah was full available for such a high stake series.
“He’s probably the best bowler in the world across all formats right now. So, it’s incredibly difficult to find the right time to rest him,” said AB de Villiers.
“But this Test series-this would’ve been the one, in my opinion, to get him ready for all five matches. That’s how we used to manage Dale (Steyn). We’d rest him for less important T20 and ODI series and make sure he was peaking for major Test tours against Australia, England, India, and sometimes New Zealand, depending on rankings at the time.”
“I don’t know if it was mismanagement, or maybe because he recently returned from injury. Perhaps they saw the IPL as a warm-up phase. It could also be that his surgeon advised against playing five Tests in a row. You have to respect that. But ultimately, it’s up to Team India to manage him wisely,” he added.
The second match of the Engand-India tests will be played between 02 and 06 July 2025 on Edgbaston, Birmingham.
