There’s been a lot of talk about how the Indian cricket team will use star bowler Jasprit Bumrah in the upcoming Test series against England. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar has made it clear that Bumrah won’t play in every match, and managing his workload will be a top priority for the team. Former Australian cricketer Brad Hogg thinks Bumrah should be used wisely and has some interesting advice on this. He told RevSportz that Bumrah should sit out the first Test starting June 20 and be brought into the next two matches instead.
You have to think carefully about those three Test matches, Hogg said. You want to figure out where he can make the biggest impact because he can really change the game. For sure, you want him playing at Lord’s, and likely at Warwickshire too.
He also mentioned that he’s not sure where else Bumrah should play, but it’s important to have him in the key matches. Honestly, I might skip playing him in the first Test, Hogg continued. Just let England think, ‘Oh, we don’t have to face Bumrah,’ but then they’ll start worrying when he comes in for the second Test. If he turns things around there, suddenly England will be in a tough spot.
Meanwhile, Shubman Gill, who’s about to start his journey as India’s Test captain in this five-match series against England, said there are no heavy expectations from coach Gautam Gambhir or Ajit Agarkar. They just want him to lead freely without putting pressure on him to do things outside his comfort zone.
Since Rohit Sharma has retired from Test cricket, Gill has stepped up as the 37th Test captain for India. He’s played as an opener and a number three batter before. His first role as captain will kick off India’s new World Test Championship cycle for 2025-27, with Rishabh Pant as his vice-captain.
