Aakash Chopra backs Jasprit Bumrah workload management, says India can cope without star pacer: ‘Life goes on…’

Former India cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra has backed the decision to manage Jasprit Bumrah's workload, saying that India have to prioritise the pacer's long-term fitness rather than expect him to play whenever available.

Chopra's comments come in the aftermath of Bumrah being ruled out for the upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka due to a recurring knee injury, which aggravated while fielding during the ODI series against England.

"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," Aakash Chopra said on The Great Indian Cricket Show.

The Gujarat pacer is currently in Bengaluru, where he is undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence. Auqib Nabi has replaced Bumrah in the squad, which features Mohammed Siraj as the senior-most pacer with 140 wickets from 46 Tests to his name.

Can India manage without Bumrah?

Chopra stressed that India can cope even when Bumrah is unavailable. He said the team would continue to function without their premier fast bowler, while simultaneously arguing that every effort should be made to preserve him for the long term.

"India will still manage. It will manage. Life goes on, whether there is someone or not,” he said.

Chopra said the importance of protecting Bumrah’s career, reiterating that there was little reason to take unnecessary risks with a player of his stature.

“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 explained.

Jasprit Bumrah's recurring back issues

Bumrah’s latest injury concerns also bring back memories of what transpired during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 in Australia. During the fifth and final Test against Australia in Sydney, the 32-year-old sustained a back spasm, which forced him to leave the field on the second day.

Bumrah had already carried a heavy workload in the series, bowling 53.2 overs in the fourth Test in Melbourne, his highest number of overs in a single Test match at that stage. 

By the time he left the field in Sydney, he had bowled 151.2 overs across the five-Test series, the second-highest tally among the bowlers in the series behind Australia's Pat Cummins.

The Indian team management also managed his workload during the away Test series against England later in 2025, restricting him to three of the five Tests in which he took 14 wickets.