'He is the Kohinoor diamond. The longer he plays, the better it is.'
As India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah's workload management has become a hot topic of debate, former Team India opener Akash Chopra has defended the pacer's selective participation in the longest format.
Bumrah, 31, featured in only three of the five Tests during India’s recent series against England, with the team management making it clear before the tour that he would not play all five matches. Having already played three of the first four, many expected him to be part of the decider at The Oval, but he was instead rested and then released from the squad.
Recently, cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar slammed him for 'picking and choosing' matches in the name of workload management, arguing that the onus lies on the pacer to adapt, not the system.
Chopra, responding to Manjrekar's comments, urged the media and supporters not to push Bumrah to take premature retirement from red-ball cricket.
"There is no bowler like Bumrah. Don't push him forcibly towards early retirement because he is 24-carat pure gold. He is the Kohinoor diamond. The longer he plays, the better it is. I don't think he will play too much Test cricket, but for however long he plays, I would say hold onto it,” said Chopra on his YouTube channel.
He further stated that it is up to the team management to adjust the bowling combination in order to accommodate Bumrah whenever he is available.
"I will be honest, I don’t think he will play all the Test matches. He is going to pick and choose. Whether it's right or wrong, it's not a moral or ethical debate, is what I think. If you have a player of that level available, play him whenever he can. Jasprit Bumrah, as a bowler, you can adjust the bowling combination very easily. It doesn't make a difference. If Bumrah had been a batter, a No. 4 or an opener, and had said that he would play two matches and won't play after that, then it's a problem. Bowlers need to be rotated in any case in a series of three or four Tests," he added.
Bumrah has reportedly informed the selectors that he is available for the upcoming Asia Cup, to be held in the UAE from September 9 to 28.
The ace pacer's last T20I appearances was during the World Cup 2024, where he played a pivotal role in India's triumph with 15 wickets in eight outings.
© 2025