Following India's defeat against England in the first Test at Headingley, former cricketer Dinesh Karthik has issued a warning regarding Jasprit Bumrah's workload management. Citing concerns over Bumrah's fitness and the lack of support from other bowlers, Karthik suggested that the star pacer might want to skip the second Test at Edgbaston.

Karthik's comments come in the wake of India's five-wicket loss in Leeds, where England successfully chased down a target of 371. Despite Bumrah's impressive five-wicket haul in the first innings, he went wicketless in the second, highlighting India's over-reliance on him for breakthroughs. This dependence, according to Karthik, could take a toll on Bumrah's body and potentially lead to injuries.

"First of all, we need to see if Bumrah is playing. I doubt Bumrah would want to play at Edgbaston," Karthik said on Cricbuzz. "I would think that he would wait. It is flat and it would give his body more time, he has bowled a lot of overs in this game."

Concerns about Bumrah's workload are not new. After sustaining a back injury during the Border-Gavaskar series in Australia earlier this year, Bumrah himself acknowledged the need to carefully manage his body. He opted out of India's Test captaincy to prioritize workload management and prolong his career.

Adding to the concern, India coach Gautam Gambhir has already stated Bumrah will only play three of the five Tests against England. The decision was made considering his past injury and the amount of cricket ahead. The management is yet to decide which two Tests Bumrah will miss, but Karthik believes Edgbaston could be one of them, given the surface may not be conducive to his bowling style.

Karthik also highlighted the lack of support for Bumrah from other Indian bowlers. He emphasized the void between Bumrah and the rest of the attack, which puts extra pressure on both Bumrah and captain Shubman Gill. Karthik urged other bowlers to step up and take responsibility, relieving some of the burden on Bumrah. "There was too much of a void between (Bumrah) and the rest," Karthik noted. "Every time you need a wicket, it has to be Bumrah… Others need to find a way to definitely push the captain and say, 'I am ready, give me the ball, this is my plan, I want to do this'."

While acknowledging Bumrah's importance to the team, Karthik cautioned against overusing him, especially considering his injury history. He stressed the need for a balanced approach, where other bowlers contribute effectively, and Bumrah's workload is carefully managed to ensure his long-term fitness and availability.

"They need to be very sure of one thing, they can't think what England will do," Karthik said. "What England are doing is very simple, they have picked even if it is an ordinary bowling, and are saying you give us whatever you want to chase, we will back ourselves to do it. Then India have to think, what can they do to pick 20 wickets?"