Jasprit Bumrah, India’s formidable fast bowler, is gearing up to make an impact in the upcoming Asia Cup. As the tournament approaches, former South African cricket legend AB de Villiers has shared his thoughts and a striking prediction about the Indian star’s participation.
Under the captaincy of Suryakumar Yadav, Team India is preparing vigorously for the Asia Cup, with their first match scheduled for September 10.
The selectors have announced a 15-man squad for the tournament, which includes the ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah. However, amidst the excitement, AB de Villiers has raised an intriguing point regarding Bumrah’s workload management.
De Villiers believes Bumrah might not feature in every game. His reasoning? To effectively manage the fast bowler’s workload, especially considering his recent injury struggles.
Bumrah, now 31, has been battling injuries over the past few years, and his recent England tour saw him playing only three out of five Tests, as part of a strategic workload management plan.
What did AB de Villiers say about Bumrah?
De Villiers expressed his enthusiasm about Bumrah’s return to the squad, stating, “It’s really good to see Bumrah back in the team. He looks fit and ready to go. But I don’t think he will be playing in every match.
I’ve seen reports suggesting he’ll only be fielded in crucial games, and I truly appreciate that approach from the selectors. Managing our senior and most impactful players this way is the right move.”
He further added, “It’s not that Bumrah is choosing this path himself. Cricket today is relentless. The toll of years of hard work shows on our seasoned players. Once you start managing these players carefully, you get the best out of them.
I really like the fact that the team management is adopting this method with Jasprit. It’s a smart way to keep him fresh and at his best for the most important moments.”
India’s Asia Cup 2025 Squad:
Main Squad: Auryakumar Yadav (Captain), Shubman Gill (Vice-Captain), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (Wicketkeeper), Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson (Wicketkeeper), Harsit Rana, Rinku Singh.
Reserves: Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal.
As the cricketing world watches with bated breath, AB de Villiers’s insights remind us of the delicate balancing act that modern cricket demands where managing workload and safeguarding our star players might just be the key to sustained success.
Will Bumrah be rested for some matches? Only time will tell, but one thing’s for certain his presence on the field, when fully fit, remains a game-changer for India.
