- June 30, 2025
Let’s face it— every time Jasprit Bumrah strides in with a red ball, there is an unspoken prayer from every Indian fan: “Please don’t break.” That’s the significance he holds. As the second Test against England approaches at Edgbaston and India are trailing 0-1, Bumrah is the biggest talking point. However, in all the noise, we keep hearing the same question: Is India overloading him?
Bumrah’s Test Workload: Heavy, But Not the Heaviest
As we enter the WTC 2023-25 cycle that commenced in June 2023, Bumrah has been a true workhorse for India to date, gaining the third greatest number of overs in Test cricket for pace bowlers so far. Bumrah has bowled just over 470 overs and is the most utilized Indian fast bowler so far. Still, he lags behind the Australians Pat Cummins (589 overs) and Mitchell Starc (562), who also have a large workload.
Intriguingly, when you break it down by overs per innings, Bumrah belongs to the sixth-highest average (14.6) of the ten most-used pacers. Another comparison for context is that Chris Woakes is top of this stat with an average of 16 overs in an innings, despite bowling far fewer overs overall. So, looking at the overall breakdowns, Bumrah is relatively near the top, but he is certainly not being overworked, at least not more than other players.
Add White Ball and IPL to the Mix—and the Plot Thickens
The point is, we have to keep in mind that cricket is no longer merely a red-ball slog. The great fast bowlers not only play Test matches, but also have to factor in the shorter forms of the game. If we consider ODIs and T20Is since June 2023, the picture changes only slightly. Cummins tops the chart with 731 overs across all formats, closely followed by Starc and Hazlewood. And Bumrah? At No. 4, he has bowled 614 overs across Tests, ODIs, and T20Is.
And here’s the real kicker. Bumrah plays IPL for two months every year. Not every pacer on this list plays the IPL. Cummins and Starc played in the last two IPLs, but others like Shaheen Afridi or Alzarri Joseph play fewer matches or in lower-intensity leagues. So yes, Bumrah has a high workload—and it is coming from every angle.
So… Is India Right to Rest Him?
Now things get complex. India needs to win at Edgbaston. Bumrah’s fit and he has that rare ability to pull off moments that feel nothing short of magical. India is not Australia with a rotation of experienced pacers, but a younger and less experienced bowling attack. Bumrah is the best pacer, and Bumrah is the only pacer who continues to stick things together.
So, resting him isn’t weakness, it’s wisdom. Considering Bumrah’s injury history, managing his workload is not just about this series; it is about his longevity. Surely, someone will say, a criticism, that Starc and Cummins are bowling more than Bumrah. But Bumrah’s explosiveness and that he carries India’s hopes should make that argument barely relevant.
Through the use of statistics, yes, Jasprit Bumrah has a high bowling workload since the beginning of the WTC 2023-25 cycle, though not necessarily more than everyone else. What is similar to India is that Bumrah is so valuable and fragile to his team that you cannot only count but need to count and have to calculate, as each over is important.
What’s your call—go all in and risk Bumrah for that crucial must-win, or play it safe and guard him for the bigger battles ahead? Share your thoughts below—because right now, it seems like every Indian Test is basically Bumrah taking on the world solo!
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