Image: Bumrah faces fatigue ahead of the Sydney Test and the Champions Trophy / © ESPNcricinfo
Jasprit Bumrah has been India’s biggest player in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia, single-handedly keeping the team’s hopes alive with his exceptional bowling performances. In the fourth Test at Melbourne, Bumrah played a crucial role in India’s fightback, taking his third five-wicket haul of the series and bowling a total of 53.2 overs in the match, the most he has ever bowled in a single Test.
On Day 4, after reducing Australia to 91 for six, Bumrah was visibly exhausted and told Rohit Sharma, “Bas abhi. Nahi lag raha hai zor”, indicating he could no longer continue. Despite this, Bumrah’s efforts have been nothing short of remarkable, as he became the first fast bowler to take 30 wickets in a single Border-Gavaskar Trophy series and reached 200 career wickets during the contest.
However, the heavy workload has taken a toll on the pacer, with 141.2 overs bowled in the series alone, making him the most-worked bowler in 2024 across formats. With the Sydney Test and the upcoming Champions Trophy in February, India faces the challenge of managing Bumrah’s workload to ensure he is well-rested for the crucial ICC tournament.