No Bumrah for Asia Cup? tight schedule ahead of West Indies Test raises workload concerns

Jasprit Bumrah was released from Test squad during the fifth and final match against England of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. After playing three games, he was excluded from the last Test to manage his workload. Although the final match was crucial, the team followed their planned approach to preserve his fitness.

The 31-year-old pacer’s absence in the crucial fifth Test surprised many, especially since India needed a victory to stay alive in the series. However, the team management prioritized Bumrah’s long-term fitness, choosing to rest him rather than risk injury for immediate results.

Now, questions are surfacing about whether Bumrah will also miss the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, which begins on September 9 in the UAE. With a packed calendar and careful workload monitoring, India may opt to rest their premier fast bowler, potentially leaving a big gap in the pace department during the continental tournament.

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What Will be Bumrah’s Choice- Asia Cup or Test Against West Indies?

The Asia Cup 2025 is scheduled from September 9 to 28 and will follow the T20 format. Originally planned to be hosted by India, the tournament was shifted to the UAE due to ongoing diplomatic issues with Pakistan. The UAE will now serve as a neutral location for all participating teams during the competition.

India will host West Indies for a two-Test series beginning on October 2. If India reaches the Asia Cup final, Jasprit Bumrah would have only two days to recover before the Test series begins. Considering his past fitness concerns, it seems improbable that he will feature in both tournaments back-to-back without a break.

According to PTI, a BCCI source said, “ It will be a tricky call, but Bumrah loves Test cricket and there are World Test Championship points at stake. As far as T20 is concerned, he can play the series against New Zealand in January, which will be a dress rehearsal for the T20 World Cup.”

That source further said, “ If Bumrah plays Asia Cup and suppose India plays the final, no way can he play against West Indies at Ahmedabad. Obviously, the question arises, do you need Bumrah against West Indies or he plays Asia Cup after a month’s break and plays the two Tests against South Africa. That call, Ajit Agarkar and Gautam Gambhir will have to take.”

Since 2022, Jasprit Bumrah has been out of action in four major tournaments due to ongoing back issues. A back injury during the England ODIs kept him out of the Asia Cup and T20 World Cup. He later underwent surgery in early 2023, missing both the IPL and World Test Championship final. Another setback in 2025 saw him skip the Champions Trophy.