BOOM OR BUST? Shane Bond fires a big warning plus zero clarity on Jasprit Bumrah

It required an honest statement from Shane Bond, a feared fast bowler from New Zealand of yesteryears to tell us Jasprit Bumrah’s absence from cricket needs to be understood in the right perspective. Bond had himself suffered a breakdown at his peak, so when he says Bumrah cannot be rushed back and the workload management has to be very strict, there is cause for concern. The last Bumrah bowled was in the Sydney Test in trhe BGT Series.

At present, there is a massive euphoria at home after the Men in Blue won the Champions Trophy. Celebrations among public has been crazy, though no ticker-tape parade for the Indian team this time seems out of place. At such a time when most of the marquee players have joined their respective IPL teams, Bumrah is still away. What is the reason or compulsion for zero updates on Bumrah’s injury continues to be a mystery. It is almost as if the whole news has been blanked out for reasons of privacy. And that is strange.

Now and then one reads Bumrah has been spending time at the BCCI Centre for Excellence in Bengaluru, formerly known as the NCA. How much has he recovered, what was the injury and the recovery protocol established has not been made known to the public. It is now well-known, Bumrah is not joining Mumbai Indians any time soon for the IPL 2025. How long is he going to be absent, nobody knows. There is speculation he could be away till April. The big question, flagged rightly by Shane Bond, who knows enough about Indian cricket is, how will Bumrah’s workload be managed.

To bowl in the IPL is very different, it’ a maximum of four overs per match. Yes, there is plenty of travel and night flights as well. Each IPL team does care about how much load a player can undertake, especially the bowlers. There has been a horrible case of England’s Jofra Archer with the Mumbai Indians in for three seasons but not playing one match. His injury was scary. It is also well-known how India won the Champions Trophy minus Bumrah. It was the variety of four spinners which did the trick for India. If that be the defining part, Mumbai Indians would have also planned for the 2025 season of IPL very well aware Bumrah cannot be depended upon in every match.

It is a Catch 22 situation. There is no way Bumrah can be rushed into the IPL. Going by what Shane Bond has said, transition from T20 to Tests in England will be even more tough. It is proved beyond doubt, Bumrah was bowled to dust in Australia during the BGT series. When he collapsed in the Sydney Test, it was shocking. He underwent an MRI scan and everything after that has been kept under wraps.

At a time when there is zero debate now on what will be the composition of the Indian team for the Test series in England, there is concern if Bumrah can be pushed hard. His back injury is much more than a spasm and in hush-hush tones people have spoken of it being a serious injury. Can Bumrah be overloaded with captaincy as well in the Test format. Maybe not, since he needs workload management. Gautam Gambhir can be celebrated for being a great coach who plotted India’s Champions Trophy win but as far as the Test series is concerned in England, to think Bumrah can be subjected to overload is scary. Mind you, Shane Bond has himself suffered. Take his warning seriously. After all, in the absence of authentic news updates on Bumrah, a Kiwi who suffered an injury and wishes good for Bumrah must be resepected.