Irfan Pathan opens up on Jasprit Bumrah’s workload ahead of 2025 Asia Cup

Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has clarified that he didn’t question Jasprit Bumrah’s attitude. Pathan said he is fine with the team think tank’s strategy of managing Bumrah’s workload but the former swing pacer said that Bumrah should give his 120% on the field and not think about his workload while playing a particular Test match.

The former all-rounder believes Bumrah could have bowled a few more overs in the Lord’s Test match against England. Meanwhile, Bumrah’s workload tactics have been questioned by a lot of experts after the gun fast bowler played three out of the five Test matches against England. The Indian pack leader picked 14 wickets in three Test matches at an average of 26, including two five-wicket hauls.

“Lot of people think I question his attitude. Not at all. Why would I question someone who gives Test cricket priority, specially after the back injury where lot of other guys have not done that. I will never do that. No one is so stupid right. I am saying once you are there on the field, you just go all-out. I can guarantee you that if the management keeps happening like this (bowling five-six overs), we will not get the desired result for a longer period of time,” Pathan said on RevSportz.

Bumrah bowled shorter spells in the Lord’s Test match and India suffered a 22-run loss in the end as they could not chase down 193.

“We will manage his workload but even at an important time like the Lord’s Test, if we look to manage workload, how will the result come? You can push it at the time when it is needed. The recovery and management can happen after the game. If you are playing just three games and in that also you bowl just few overs in a spell, it gets difficult for the team,” he added.

Pathan recalled that Bumrah was slowly increasing his workload while training at the NCA in Bengaluru when he was returning from an injury.

“I was doing a coaching course at the NCA for two weeks when he was coming back from the back injury. I could see his progression was very clear. He would bowl five overs, take a break one day, and then he would come and bowl six overs. He is very clear and the team is very clear in terms of what to do for the recovery and how much to bowl when to bowl before the game time. The process is in place. But what I am saying is that process cannot be followed in the game,” he reflected. 

Pathan said every player should take a leaf out of Mohammed Siraj’s book and not think too much about workload management during a particular game.

“Once you go on the field, you have to think the way Siraj is thinking. I am not saying no one else does not think that way, but some have different criteria in terms of mindset, for whatever reason. Maybe because of past injury or the body works differently. But what happens to the team? It doesn’t work or give you the proper result. That is why, when you are there and playing for the country, you cannot think too much about workload management.”

Bumrah will be seen in action in the upcoming Asia Cup.