BCCI tells Team India: ‘Get serious about Tests’; Jasprit Bumrah told to play all matches of current WTC cycle - Report

Bumrah's workload has always been a hot topic of discussion, as the pacer has shown a tendency to break down if not given a breather. He was ruled out for a considerable period – missing the Champions Trophy – after featuring in all five Tests in Australia. India therefore rested him for two of the five Tests in England, a series they drew 2-2 last August-September. However, that practice is set to take a backseat as Bumrah remains an invaluable asset for India in the 2025-26 WTC.

“The attempt is to keep Bumrah fit enough to play all Tests. He is expected to play the four Tests in Sri Lanka and New Zealand. The challenge will be to keep him fresh for the five Tests at home against Australia. The selectors won’t mind resting him for some ODI series. He played T20 cricket after a gap of two years in the Asia Cup last Sept and still delivered,” TOI quoted a BCCI source as saying.

“The idea is to get serious about Tests. The Afghanistan Test may be outside the WTC cycle, but there’s nothing like match practice. The top players will be assessed, and a call on them will be taken accordingly,” the source added.

India is already hurting from the dramatic fall in Test cricket. In two years, India has been whitewashed at home twice – losing 0-3 to New Zealand in 2024 and 0-2 to South Africa just last November. For a team that used to dominate at home and pose a stiff threat to opponents in their backyard, the decline under Gambhir has been alarming.

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