'Shami, Bhuvi can take pressure off Bumrah': Raju Kulkarni

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Ace speedster Jasprit Bumrah, 32, is the only Indian bowler who has 100-plus scalps in each of the three formats so far —234 in Tests, 151 in ODIs, and 121 T20Is.

However, injury concerns due to his unique bowling action and workload management see him missing from the India line-up more often than not, and this often has an adverse effect on the team’s bowling department. Former India and Mumbai pacers Karsan Ghavri and Raju Kulkarni believe Team India should stop relying only on Bumrah hereon.

“Bumrah should take a break for five-six months or even a year, and get back to 100 per cent fitness. The issue is that he goes into tournaments even if he’s half-fit and then, due to workload management, halfway through, there’s a breakdown. This is unnecessary. Only if he can manage his workload throughout a tournament, should he be included in the team,” Ghavri told mid-day on Tuesday.

Karsan Ghavri and Raju Kulkarni

Ghavri, 75, who played 39 Tests and 19 ODIs for India from 1974 to 1981, felt in-form pacers like Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar should be brought in. Shami, 35, claimed 37 wickets for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy last season, while Bhuvneshwar, 36, played a crucial role in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s 2026 IPL triumph, taking 28 wickets. “Shami and Bhuvi have been playing consistently in the IPL without injuries and should return to the national set-up. 

Selectors should consider them,” Ghavri said, adding that Bumrah’s injuries are not a good sign. “All fast bowlers face niggles or injuries, but Bumrah has been on and off for the last two-three years. He has hardly played an entire series. That’s not a good sign for him or for the country,” added Ghavri.

Meanwhile, Kulkarni, who played three Tests and 10 ODIs between 1983 and 1987, and currently is the Mumbai Cricket Association’s Cricket Improvement Committee chief, felt Bumrah lacks a bit in the technical aspect. “Bumrah’s our golden boy. He’s India’s best ever fast bowler. But I think he’s not a technically sound bowler which is why he’s so injury prone. Bowlers like Richard Hadlee or Kapil Dev were technically sound and that’s why they kept on going,” Kulkarni told mid-day over the phone from London on Tuesday.     

Kulkarni, 63, insisted that Bumrah should pick just one format. “I don’t think Bumrah can sustain playing all formats. The team management must consider playing him only in Tests as that’s a critical format. Though he may want to play IPL, T20I and ODIs too, it’s not viable. For this reason, it will be great if Mohammed Siraj can get the support of senior pacers like Shami and Bhuvi. Bhuvi should be used in T20Is because he’s done brilliantly in the IPL. And you can rotate Shami and Siraj in Tests. This will reduce the pressure on Bumrah.”

13
No. of wickets claimed by Mohammed Shami in his last four Tests, all vs Australia in 2023

3
No. of Tests Jasprit Bumrah has missed since July last year; he has played six out of nine games

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