"Not Be A Fool To...": Irfan Pathan Breaks Silence On Jasprit Bumrah Workload Comments

Jasprit Bumrah's workload management came under focus during the India vs England Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Despite being fit, Bumrah played only three out of the five matches. That decision was taken after he had suffered a back injury while playing in the India vs Australia Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier in 2025. However, Bumrah's workload management did not sit well with many. Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan criticised Bumrah for his 'pick and choose' approach in the recently concluded Test series against England.

"There was also some pick-and-choose, which I've always been against, and that was visible too," Pathan said on YouTube.

Pathan went on to say that although Bumrah did perform well on occasions, he did not live up to the expectations that the team had.

Now, Pathan has clarified his comments on Bumrah. "A lot of people think I questioned his attitude — not at all. Why would I question someone who gives Test cricket priority, especially after a back injury, when a lot of other guys have not done that? I will never do that. No one is so stupid, right?

I'm saying once you are there on the field, you just go all-out. I can guarantee you that if the management keeps happening like this — bowling five-six overs — we will not get the desired result over a longer period of time," Irfan Pathan said on RevSportz.

"We will manage his workload, but even at an important time like the Lord's Test, if we look to manage workload, how will the result come? You can push it when it is needed. The recovery and management can happen after the game.

If you're playing just three games and in those also you bowl just a few overs in a spell, it gets difficult for the team."

Pathan added that Bumrah has to think the way Siraj is thinking.

"I was doing a coaching course at the NCA for two weeks when he was coming back from the back injury. I could see his progression very clearly. He would bowl five overs, take a break for one day, and then come back and bowl six overs. He is very clear, and the team is also very clear in terms of what to do for recovery and how much to bowl and when to bowl before match time. The process is in place.

But what I am saying is that the process cannot be followed during the game," he reflected.

"Once you go on the field, you have to think the way Siraj is thinking. I'm not saying no one else thinks that way, but some players have different criteria or mindsets, for whatever reason — maybe because of past injuries or how their body works.

But what happens to the team? It doesn't work or give you the proper result. That is why, when you're there and playing for the country, you cannot think too much about workload management."

Pathan also referred to the India vs England Lord's Test, where Bumrah's limited spell was questioned.

“I'm talking about the Lord's Test match and Joe Root and Ben Duckett had a partnership. It was very very important for captain Shubman Gill that his No. 1 bowler bowls 1-2 overs, because if he does that, there's a high chance for him (Root) to get out to Bumrah, because he had done it before and could have done it again. It could also have been possible that he did not get the wicket even after bowling those two overs, but you must take the chances,” Pathan said.

“My thing was that, why not take chances and get restricted to those five overs? In the same game, Ben Stokes bowled a spell of nine overs on the fourth day, being an all-rounder. Jasprit Bumrah goes to fine leg so there is recovery in different areas. He gets proper space and I'm not raising a question on Bumrah's attitude. No, I will not be a fool to do that, because he is someone who gives Test cricket priority, especially after the back injury, which a lot of other guys have not given.”

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team England Cricket Team Jasprit Bumrah Irfan Pathan Cricket