There has been a lot of discussion about Jasprit Bumrah ahead of India’s five-match Test series against England. With key players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma missing, Bumrah is one of the senior members of the team. However, chief selector Ajit Agarkar made it clear that Bumrah is unlikely to play in all five matches of the series. Since Bumrah suffered a back injury during the series against Australia, managing his workload has become a major concern. But Ashish Kaushik, former head physiotherapist of the National Cricket Academy, offered a somewhat different recommendation to the BCCI and team management.
Jasprit Bumrah: The Importance of Managing Workload and Conditioning for Bowlers
Strengthening a bowler to handle the demands of bowling is essential. Bowlers need to focus on building physical strength, spending sufficient time on the field, and conditioning themselves through running and training programs. This preparation ensures their bodies can sustain performance through second and third bowling spells without a drop in quality.
Jasprit Bumrah: Every player has an acute to chronic workload ratio that must be maintained to reduce injury risks. Research indicates that both exceeding and falling short of an optimal workload can increase the chance of injury.
Workload management applies not only to bowling but also to all strenuous activities including batting, fielding, strength training, and conditioning. It should be carefully monitored to avoid sudden spikes or drops that could affect performance, as emphasized by Kaushik in an interview with SportsBoom.com.
Meanwhile, India’s left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh is excited to return to Kent, where he previously played county cricket, as he aims to regain his red-ball rhythm ahead of the upcoming five-match Test series against England starting June 20. Having had a strong IPL 2025 season with Punjab Kings, Arshdeep is looking forward to his potential Test debut. He is currently participating in a four-day tour match against India A at Kent County Cricket Ground.
Jasprit Bumrah: Reflecting on his training, Arshdeep said, “My motivation today was to get a feel for the rhythm — how the body feels, how the red ball is coming out of the hand — since everyone has been playing with the white ball for a while. I really enjoyed it.” He added that as the team progresses, the intensity will rise, making it increasingly challenging for batsmen.