Former South African captain AB de Villiers has openly questioned India's team management regarding their reported decision to limit Jasprit Bumrah to just three Test matches in the ongoing five-match series against England. De Villiers expressed his surprise at this decision, suggesting that India might be mismanaging one of the best bowlers in the world.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, De Villiers, acknowledging Test cricket as the "ultimate form of the game," made a strong case for Bumrah's full availability throughout the series. He drew comparisons to how South Africa handled the workload of their premier fast bowler, Dale Steyn, during his career. De Villiers highlighted that Steyn was often rested during less critical T20 and ODI series to ensure he was fully prepared and available for major Test tours, such as those in Australia, England, and India. He feels India should have a similar approach with Bumrah.
De Villiers stated that Bumrah is currently probably the best bowler across all formats. He feels that this Test series against England would have been the perfect opportunity to prepare him for all five matches.
The former South African captain also pondered whether medical advice influenced the decision to restrict Bumrah's participation. He suggested that if a surgeon advised against Bumrah playing all five Tests, that decision should be respected. However, if the restriction is solely based on workload management, De Villiers is unsure if the team management is handling the situation correctly. He emphasized that unless Bumrah is dealing with a serious injury, he should be playing in the remaining matches of the series.
De Villiers added that a five-Test series against England is a significant event, perhaps second only to the World Test Championship final. He believes that if Bumrah is fit, he must play.
It has been reported that Gautam Gambhir, India's head coach, has already stated that Bumrah would only participate in three of the five Test matches on the tour of England. This decision was reportedly made to manage Bumrah's workload.
Bumrah's workload management has been a point of discussion, especially considering his importance to the Indian team. He had suffered a stress reaction to his back, which required surgery in 2023. This injury caused him to miss three months of cricket, including the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Bumrah returned to cricket in the IPL 2025, and he disclosed that his surgeon and the BCCI medical team advised him to manage his workload carefully.
De Villiers also offered a different perspective, suggesting that India might be strategically downplaying Bumrah's availability to surprise England. He speculated that India might be planning to have Bumrah play all five games, which could serve as a surprise tactic, especially after India's loss in the first Test. He also noted that this situation presents an opportunity for players like Arshdeep Singh or Kuldeep Yadav to step up.
Despite questions surrounding Bumrah's workload, he took a five-wicket haul in the first innings of the first Test at Headingley, Leeds. He went wicketless in the second innings. There are reports that Bumrah will miss the second Test match.
Ravi Shastri, the former India coach, has cautioned against resting Bumrah, especially after India's loss in the first Test.
