As India prepare for the much-anticipated Test tour of Australia, all eyes are on Jasprit Bumrah, the backbone of their pace attack. But with Bumrah’s injury history, there are growing concerns over how the Indian cricket team will manage the workload of their star bowler to ensure he remains fit for the gruelling five-match Test series Down Under later this year.

Reacting to the same, legendary Australian cricketer Ian Chappell compared Bumrah’s situation to that of legendary pacer Dennis Lillee during the 1972 Ashes tour, where the Kangaroos had to finely balance their fitness and form.

Jasprit Bumrah has faced significant physical challenges since his international debut in 2016. After suffering a back injury in September 2022, the spinner was sidelined for almost a year, missing key tournaments and leaving a gaping hole in India’s bowling attack.

Ian Chappell expresses concerns over Jasprit Bumrah’s workload management ahead of high-stakes Australia tour

His return in August 2023 was nothing short of extraordinary, but questions remain over his ability to maintain peak performance and avoid further injury, given the upcoming hectic testing season.

Notably, Jasprit Bumrah, India’s most lethal fast bowler across formats, was not given any rest for the second Test against Bangladesh, which began on September 27 in Kanpur.

Reflecting on Lillee’s iconic approach to managing his workload, Chappell has emphasised that Jasprit Bumrah’s fitness will be a crucial element of India’s strategy ahead of the upcoming 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia later this year.

Just as Lillee insisted on maintaining the pace by taking wickets rather than resting hastily, India faces the tough challenge of keeping Jasprit Bumrah match-fit without pushing him beyond his limits.

With the upcoming Test series against Australia being a high-stakes contest, the team management must navigate the fine line between maintaining their form and ensuring their physical well-being.

Chappell recalls Dennis Lillee’s workload management strategies for handling Jasprit Bumrah

Ian Chappell wrote in his column for ESPNCricinfo: “At the start of the long tour, I suggested that we might take a backseat to Lillee. He put it to me in very firm terms: ‘As a batsman, I need to be fit. When I get five wickets, you can talk about taking a backseat to me.’”

Chappell added: “A key part of India’s preparation for the Australian tour will be ensuring Bumrah is fit but able to play the majority of the five Tests. The difficulty of balancing this task was summed up perfectly by Australian pace hero Dennis Lillee on the 1972 tour of the UK.”

With India’s hopes resting largely on Bumrah’s shoulders, the pressure is immense for the star player to perform at his full potential without risking long-term damage in the upcoming Test matches.

If India can strike the right balance, Bumrah will certainly be a game-changer for Team India to continue their dominance on Australian soil in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.

It would be ideal if the volatile Mohammed Shami is fit for Australia tour: Chappell

Meanwhile, the former Australian captain believes that India’s bowling attack would be significantly strengthened if Mohammed Shami is fully fit for the Australia tour, given his unpredictable yet impactful nature.

The legendary player further noted that adding a skilled left-handed pace player would also bring valuable variety to the team’s pace attack for the much-awaited Test series between India and Australia.

Chappell concluded by saying: “It would be ideal if the mercurial Mohammed Shami was fit for Australia, but the presence of a good left-arm spinner would also improve India’s attacking variety. The spin bowling is in good hands with Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin. However, I would not rule out the importance of Kuldeep Yadav on some Australian surfaces.”