Shastri feels THIS player`s workload should be managed during England series

Ahead of England`s Test series, former Team India coach Ravi Shastri feels that lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah should be given rest after two matches and the freedom to pick the game for the required rest.

Team India will clash against England in an away Test series, which will kickstart on June 20. The tournament will mark the beginning of the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.

“I would be very, very careful (with Bumrah). I would give him two Test matches at a time and then wait for the break,” said Shastri on the ICC Review.

The Indian pacer suffered a back injury during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. The injury ruled him out of the Champions Trophy 2025 and the speedster made a comeback to competitive cricket during the ongoing IPL 2025.

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“Ideally, make him play four (Tests). You`ll be tempted to make him play five if he starts off in a great manner, but it`s how his body pulls up,” said the cricketer-turned-commentator.

The legendary cricketer opined that Bumrah should be given the leeway to decide which match he wants to skip.

“He should be given the first opportunity to say, `Yes, a little, (I am) feeling the niggle. A break would help`. Give him that break.”

Ravi Shastri further feels that full-fit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj will trouble England batters in the Test series.

“I think with Siraj, Jasprit and Shami, these three, if they are fully fit, they will give England heaps of problems”.

“It`s a quality, top-class pace attack when you get these three fit. And what I like about Siraj….for him to go back to the drawing board and come back the way he has, there`s a spring in his stride, the pace is up there, and he means business game after game. And that is perfect from India`s point of view with England coming up,” said Shastri.

The 62-year-old feels that Shami, who missed out on the Champions Trophy and BGT, will be a workhorse ahead of England`s Test series. The pacer was dealing with a knee injury that he suffered during the ODI World Cup 2023.

His services were missed during the Australia series as Bumrah was single-handedly leading the pace attack.

“The fact that he (Shami) puts his hand up and says, `I`m available for that first Test match` means he knows his fitness levels. He`s a workhorse. I`ve known Shami for a long time. If he puts his mind to it, he`ll get there. And the fact that there`s Siraj and there`s Jasprit doing as well as they are, that is just the motivation he needs to step up and get to that level,” Shastri concluded.

(With PTI Inputs)