Bumrah aiming for three Tests out of five against England
The 31-year-old has claimed 205 Test wickets at a remarkable average of under 20, with his distinctive action and ability to generate sharp pace from a short run-up making him a formidable challenge for batters.
India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is expecting to feature in only three of the five Tests in the upcoming series against England, as he carefully manages his workload following a previous back injury.
The 31-year-old has claimed 205 Test wickets at a remarkable average of under 20, with his distinctive action and ability to generate sharp pace from a short run-up making him a formidable challenge for batters.
However, Bumrah sustained a back injury during the final match of India's 3-1 series defeat in Australia in January. With five Tests scheduled over less than seven weeks, starting this Friday at Headingley, the fast bowler is focused on preserving peak fitness as India look to secure their first Test series win in England since 2007.
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"The body's feeling good — no issues, no complaints," Bumrah told Sky Sports.
"I have to be smart, too, as I'm not getting any younger. I need to take care of my body because I want to continue playing across all three formats for as long as I can.
"I plan as I go, but at the moment, I'm looking at playing three Tests — that's what I believe I can manage. I'll definitely be playing the first Test, and then we'll assess the workload and conditions for the rest. Hopefully, in the matches I do play, I'll give it my absolute best."
Bumrah, who has taken 60 wickets at an average of 22.16 in 14 Tests against England, is now a senior figure in a youthful Indian side captained by Shubman Gill, following the recent retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
The fast bowler explained that his anticipated limited availability for the England series was a major factor in his decision to step back from leadership responsibilities.
"There's no dramatic story, no controversy, no headlines that I was dropped," said Bumrah, who underwent back surgery in 2023.
"I had discussions about my workload with the medical team and the surgeon who handled my recovery. We all agreed that I need to be more sensible about my playing time.
"So I called the BCCI and said I didn't want to be considered for a leadership role.
"They were indeed considering me for captaincy, but I felt it wouldn't be fair on the team if someone else had to lead for two matches and I only played three. That kind of inconsistency isn't ideal in a five-Test series."
