Former New Zealand cricketer Shane Bond has issued a warning to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) related to the fitness of Jasprit Bumrah ahead of the England Test series. He said that if the pacer plays all the games in England then he might end up fracturing his back.
Jasprit Bumrah’s fitness has been one of the major concerns for the India National Cricket Team. The fast bowler has been out of the action since the last match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, which was played at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney.
Jasprit Bumrah bowled over 150 overs in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25
Jasprit Bumrah bowled over 150 overs in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, and it took a toll on his back. Following this, he faced a back injury in the first innings of the Sydney Test and then didn’t come to bowl in the second innings as he faced some stress in his back.
Jasprit Bumrah was then advised to rest and was ruled out of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The pacer is currently rehabilitating at the NCA and is expected to make a comeback at some point of time in the IPL. And after that, will be playing the Test series against England.
He is on the borderline of a fracture – Shane Bond on Jasprit Bumrah
Shane Bond talked about the injury of Jasprit Bumrah, saying that he bowled too much in Australia and is on the borderline of a fracture. He stressed that BCCI would’ve learned from the Australia tour, and, hence, they wouldn’t be doing the same thing on the England tour as it might cost them in white-ball events. Speaking to ESPNCricinfo, he said:
“I don’t think so. He had the [2023] surgery, but he played all that [Australia] Test series and performed unbelievably. At the end of the day, he just bowled too much over a one-month period. And it hasn’t cracked, he hasn’t got a fracture, he is on the borderline of a fracture,”
“But what India would have learned is, if you then look at the five-Test match series in England and they do the same thing, they are probably going to get the same result. So you can’t do that. You need a squad of bowlers where you can sort of pick and choose. Because if you lose him, you have got T20 World Cups, you’ve got 50-overs World Cups and he’s an important member across all formats, IPL, all that sort of stuff.”
I’m hoping Bumrah can avoid another one of these – Shane Bond
Shane Bond talked about Jasprit Bumrah’s workload in Australia, saying that he hopes that the pacer can avoid another injury. He issued a warning to BCCI, adding that they shouldn’t allow him to bowl as many overs in England. He explained:
“In Australia, it was just the sheer volume of overs that got him in the end – in those five Test matches, his performance was ridiculous, and they leaned on him a lot, and I think he might’ve bowled 50 overs in a Test match. You are not going to avoid an injury, you are just trying to avoid the really bad ones, and I’m hoping Bumrah can avoid another one of these.
“And I suppose the lesson is, you can’t have him bowl that many overs again in a Test match. Forty-five might be the top, and we can’t risk it because he’s too valuable. And I’m sure they have got all those things considered around the bowling loads and they would have reflected on why he’s had that injury.
“He’s a professional, Boomsy, he does everything right. All you are trying to do is prevent that… you are not going to avoid an injury, you are just trying to avoid the really bad ones, and I’m hoping he can avoid another one of these.”
