Jasprit Bumrah to LEAVE Test cricket? Former fast bowler spills the beans on it

At the time of writing, Jasprit Bumrah has played 43 Test matches and has picked up 185 wickets at an incredible average of 20.01.

Jasprit Bumrah to LEAVE Test cricket? Former fast bowler spills the beans on it

Jasprit Bumrah (Via X)

Jasprit Bumrah has been the best bowler across formats for quite some time now. When he started his career, many people felt that he would not succeed in the longest format of the game due to his bowling action. However, the Indian pacer has been exceptional in whites for India and is definitely the most important player for his team currently.

Bumrah has always maintained an excellent line and length, with the ability to both swing and seam the ball. More importantly, Bumrah can take wickets with his exceptional variations at any point in the game. However, one thing that has always been a worry for him is the probability of him getting injured if he bowls longer spells in Test cricket. Hence, his workload has to be managed.

YouTube video

Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, while speaking on the TNKS Podcast, claimed that Bumrah should leave Test cricket and stick to white-ball cricket. Akhtar said that a pacer needs to bowl longer spells in Test cricket and hence has to rely on his pace when the ball does not seam off the wicket. Akhtar feels that Bumrah has all the abilities to continue his success in Test cricket. However, he needs to increase his pace, and with that comes the risk of getting injured.

Although he didn’t do much in the Test series against New Zealand, it happens. But if he wants to continue playing Test cricket, he has to increase pace. With injection of increasing pace, he has a high risk of getting injured. If I was Jasprit Bumrah, I’d stick to shorter formats. It only depends on how I feel.

Shoaib Akhtar via TNKS Podcast

At the time of writing, Bumrah has played 43 Test matches and has picked up 185 wickets at an incredible average of 20.01. He has 11 five-wicket hauls in this format of the game. He is currently in the middle of the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25 in Australia.

RELATED
“You wouldn’t want to set the wrong example,” Former Indian cricketer slams Mohammed Siraj for his antics on the cricket field
"You wouldn't want to set the wrong example", Former Indian cricket slams Mohammed Siraj for his antics on the cricket field

Shoaib Akhtar feels that Jasprit Bumrah is one of the best bowlers of the shorter formats

Akhtar feels that Bumrah is a very potent fast bowler in white-ball cricket because he maintains an impeccable line and length. The Rawalpindi Express also praised Bumrah’s ability to relish bowling in the pressure stages during the powerplay and the death overs.

Shoaib Akhtar feels that Jasprit Bumrah is one of the best bowlers of the shorter formats
Shoaib Akhtar feels that Jasprit Bumrah is one of the best bowlers of the shorter formats (Via X)

He is a very good fast bowler for the shorter formats. He understands line and length. His accuracy is brilliant. I think he does a great job in death overs, in powerplay and he can swing the ball both ways.

Shoaib Akhtar further said

Despite Akhtar’s statement, Bumrah remains the most important weapon for India in all formats of the game. He is also the vice-captain of the Test side and led the team in Rohit Sharma‘s absence in the first Test against Australia in Perth, which India won by 295 runs.