Since the start of 2020, Siraj has bowled a total of 625.5 overs in 19 Tests in SENA as compared to Bumrah's 751.2 overs in 22 Tests, which is the sixth highest among pacers from all Test-playing nations.
As India look to bounce back from the crushing defeat in the series opener against England in Leeds, pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah's availability for the second Test in Edgbaston, scheduled to begin on July 2, has been a hot topic of discussion.
In all likelihood, Bumrah will be rested as part of a pre-planned workload management strategy.
Given his history of injuries and unique bowling action, managing the premier bowler's workload and ensuring his fitness should have been be a priority a long time ago.
Ever since his Test debut in 2018, Bumrah has been pushing himself to the limit, putting his body, especially his back, go through immense rigour in the process.
The 31-year-old, who returned to red-ball cricket after a prolonged injury layoff, bowled a total of 44 overs in the first Test while picking up five wickets - all coming in the first innings - despite being let down by the fielders who dropped at least three chances off his bowling.
Bumrah was the only bowler who kept troubling the English batters. The rest of the pace attack, consisting of Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and Shardul Thakur, lacked bite, consistently erring in line and length and bowling too many loose deliveries.
Will Siraj be rested?
The team management has decided against the 'overuse' of Bumrah, but it has turned a blind eye to the plight of Siraj, who has been sharing the burden in a team that lacks depth in its pace bowling attack.
While Bumrah's heavy workload has been a massive topic of debate among fans and experts, the amount of work Siraj has been putting in has gone unnoticed.
But unlike Bumrah, Siraj is expected to play all matches in a series.
Since the start of 2020, Siraj has bowled a total of 625.5 overs in 19 Tests in Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa (SENA) as compared to Bumrah's 751.2 overs in 22 Tests, which is the sixth highest among pacers from all Test-playing nations.
This year, Siraj has bowled 69 overs across two Tests in SENA countries, including 41 in the first Test against England at Leeds in the ongoing series.
Overall, Bumrah has bowled 1030.1 overs as compared to Siraj's 925.2. Among the 12 other Indian pacers used since 2020, none of them have touched the 500-over mark and have a combined wicket tally of just 188, while Bumrah and Siraj has a cumulative tally of 250 scalps.
Since 2020, Bumrah has bowled 25.16 percent of Team India's total pace overs, the highest among pacers from all countries. Siraj is at number sixth, with a total percentage of 22.38. Bumrah has bowled an average of 34.15 overs per Test, while the number is 32.9 for Siraj.
India's third and fourth seamers at Leeds - Prasidh and Shardul - bowled a combined 51 overs, in which they picked up seven wickets.
Since 2024, across conditions, Indian pacers have bowled a total of 1,112.2 overs. Only two pacers have managed above 150 overs, Bumrah with 410.4 and Siraj with 355.3. These two have delivered 69.3 percent of the total balls by Indian pacers.
During the World Test Championship Cycle 2025-27, India will be playing six more Tests, besides the ongoing five-Test series against England, in seamer-friendly conditions in SENA. So, it is important to have a proper in plan in place to manage the workload of the leading speedsters.
In Edgbaston, Arshdeep Singh or Akash Deep will get a chance to prove their worth if Bumrah misses out. Will they be able to grab the opportunity?