Preserve Bumrah like a national treasure: Ex-India cricketer on workload management

Jasprit Bumrah's latest injury has revived the debate around his workload management. Aakash Chopra believes India must take every possible step to protect their pace spearhead and preserve his long-term value.Bumrah is unavailable for India's Sri Lanka Test series. (Photo: Reuters)Jasprit Bumrah remains central to India's plans, but his fitness concerns have once again raised questions over how much cricket the premier fast bowler should be asked to play. Former India batter and commentator Aakash Chopra has backed a flexible approach to managing Bumrah's workload, saying India must prioritise the long-term health of a player he considers a "genius".Bumrah is unavailable for India's two-Test series against Sri Lanka after being ruled out with a recurring left knee issue and swelling. Speaking on The Great Indian Cricket Show on Doordarshan, Chopra said there was little reason to overlook the fast bowler's workload requirements if his body needed time away from the game."If you have a genius like Jasprit Bumrah, and if his body needs some rest, if his workload needs to be managed, why would you not do it? Bumrah is a genius. Many people believe that if you are fit, then you should play. If you are not, then don't play," Chopra said."India will still manage. It will manage. Life goes on, whether there is someone or not. But if you have a genius like Bumrah, if his body needs some rest, if his workload needs to be managed, why would you not do it? It's a very simple thing," he added. Bumrah aggravated his left knee problem while fielding during India's ODI against England in Cardiff on July 16. The 32-year-old is undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, with no official timeline set for his return, while uncapped pacer Auqib Nabi has been added to India's squad as his replacement.PROTECT INDIA'S PACE SPEARHEADBumrah has been among India's most important performers across formats in recent years, making his workload a recurring topic amid the demands of international cricket and his previous injury setbacks. Chopra acknowledged that India can cope without their premier fast bowler, but believes that should not come at the cost of compromising his long-term fitness. For him, giving Bumrah the necessary breaks is a straightforward decision when his body requires it.INDIA BEGIN SRI LANKA TEST PREPIndia, led by Shubman Gill, are preparing for a two-Test series against Sri Lanka, with the first Test scheduled to begin in Galle on August 15.The squad includes KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Devdutt Padikkal, Saransh Jain, Auqib Nabi and Sarfaraz Khan.With Bumrah unavailable, India will have to manage their pace options differently in Sri Lanka. For Chopra, however, the priority remains clear: preserve a player whose value to the team makes careful workload management worth the sacrifice.- EndsPublished By: Debodinna ChakrabortyPublished On: Aug 14, 2026 08:11 IST