"Main aim is to keep him fit for Test and ODI": Agarkar on Bumrah's absence from Ireland, England T20I series
Mumbai, June 6
BCCI Selection Committee Chairman Ajit Agarkar on Saturday said that the decision to exclude ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah from the upcoming T20I series against Ireland and England is focused on workload management and long-term fitness, especially for the ODIs and Tests.
Despite being rested for the upcoming T20I tours of Ireland (two matches) and England (five matches) as India prioritises ODI preparations ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup, Bumrah has been included in a full-strength Indian squad for the men's cricket competition at the 2026 Asian Games.
Notably, Bumrah is also not featuring in the ongoing India vs Afghanistan one-off Test match that began on June 6.
Speaking at the squad announcement press conference on Saturday, BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar explained that Bumrah is extremely important across formats, especially in major tournaments like the ODI World Cup and the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. He said the priority is to ensure Bumrah remains fit for Tests and ODIs by managing his workload in less critical series.
"One-Day World Cup, obviously, like T20 World Cup, we know how important he is, plus the WTC cycle, we've still got a chance, if we play well enough over these next nine tests, this one is not part of WTC, the Afghanistan one. But if we can have Jasprit play majority of those games and still keep him fit and healthy, it's always the thing. There's a lot of T20 cricket; you can always bring him back. Asian Games, he will be there, so yeah, the main aim is to try and keep him fit for the Test and the ODI," Agarkar said.
India will begin their Ireland-England white-ball campaign with a two-match T20I series against Ireland, with the first match scheduled for June 26 and the second on June 28. The team will then travel to England for a five-match T20I series, which gets underway on July 1.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Makes sense from a fan's perspective too. I'd rather see Bumrah steamrolling in the ODI World Cup than in random T20 bilaterals. But hope the youngsters step up in these series!
Agarkar's logic is sound, but we also need to think about the WTC final cycle. Those 9 Tests in the next year are crucial if we want to make another final. Bumrah in Tests is a different beast altogether. 🐐
Smart move by the selection committee. With the 2027 ODI World Cup and WTC in focus, Bumrah needs to be handled with care. And yes, T20I series against Ireland and England are less critical. But I hope they don't overdo the resting and end up with confused selection policies. 🤔
As a neutral fan, I can see why BCCI would want to protect their best pacer. International cricket is demanding and Bumrah is too valuable. If only other boards were this smart about workload management!
Good strategy, but I wish they'd also give chances to fast bowlers like Umran Malik in these series. We need to build a bench strength for the future. Missing Bumrah is fine if we're grooming replacements. 💪
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