Following Sunil Gavaskar, another Indian cricket legend has questioned and criticized Jasprit Bumrah’s ‘workload management’.
The Controversy Over Jasprit Bumrah’s Workload Management and Criticism from Sandeep Patil
Despite being India’s No. 1 bowler across formats for years, Jasprit Bumrah has faced harsh criticism—much of it unfair—over his limited participation in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England. It was widely known that due to his history of injuries, Bumrah would play no more than three Tests in the five-match series. Ironically, India’s two wins came in the Tests where Bumrah was rested, with Mohammed Siraj stepping up impressively, claiming five-wicket hauls at Edgbaston and the Oval.
Yet, the backlash has fallen heavily on Jasprit Bumrah for “picking and choosing” matches, despite the possibility that this decision was made by head coach Gautam Gambhir, BCCI chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar, or the team physios.
Former India all-rounder and BCCI selector Sandeep Patil criticized the current culture of workload management. Speaking to Mid-day, he questioned the growing influence of physios in selection matters, saying, “I wonder how the BCCI is agreeing to all this. Is the physio more important than the captain, than the head coach? What about selectors? Are we to expect that the physio will be sitting in selection committee meetings now? Will he decide?”
Patil also invoked the old guard’s warrior spirit: “When you are picked for your country, you die for your country. You are a warrior. I have seen Sunil Gavaskar bat on all five days of a match, I’ve seen Kapil Dev bowl on most days of a Test match, and even bowl to us in the nets. They never asked for breaks, never complained, and their careers extended to 16-plus years. I didn’t miss the next Test after my head injury in Australia in 1981.”
Sunil Gavaskar isn’t a fan of workload management either
Not long ago, legendary Sunil Gavaskar voiced his frustration over the growing emphasis on ‘workload management,’ echoing Sandeep Patil’s belief that playing for the country is an honour where “picking and choosing” matches should have no place. Adding fuel to the debate, a PTI report revealed that the BCCI is reportedly unhappy with Jasprit Bumrah’s limited participation during the England tour.
However, the crucial point often overlooked is that Bumrah’s injury-prone body complicates any workload discussions. Patil dismisses the entire workload management concept as “nonsense,” arguing that modern players are far better equipped and supported than players were in his era.
