Gambhir told not to 'under bowl' Jasprit Bumrah; secret to keep him fit for all 5 Tests out: 'Don't compromise on...'

Team India is all set to kickstart the new World Test Championship cycle after an underwhelming show in the last edition, which led to the retirements of stalwarts like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin. Head coach Gautam Gambhir and skipper Shubman Gill will be under the scanner in the upcoming five-match Test series against England, which will start with the new WTC cycle. Gautam Gambhir has a big task of managing Jasprit Bumrah's workload on England tour.(AFP)

The big task for the team management is going to be managing Jasprit Bumrah's workload. He recently recovered from a back injury he sustained during the Australia tour after playing all five Tests. During the squad announcement for the England tour, India’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar revealed that, based on feedback from the medical team, 31-year-old Bumrah will not be available for all five Tests. Gambhir also told the media before leaving for England that Bumrah will play only three Tests on the tour.

Ashish Kaushik, the former head physiotherapist of NCA, shared his insights on how to effectively manage a fast bowler's workload.

"There is an acute to chronic workload ratio for every player. Research suggests that a certain amount of workload must be maintained to reduce the risk of injuries and going above or below that workload could pose a risk."

"As much as you can be over bowled, you can also be under bowled. Workload is not only for bowling but training, too. It should be measured from all strenuous activities: bowling, batting, fielding, strength work, and conditioning work. It should not spike up or drop from where they can deliver," Kaushik told SportsBoom.com.

'Purpose should be to ensure all players are in safe zone': Kaushik

Bumrah's career has been hampered by several injuries, which forced him to miss several major tournaments, including the 2022 T20 World Cup, the 2023 World Test Championship Final and the 2025 Champions Trophy.

Kaushik himself travelled with him to England in 2019 to consult specialists for a stress fracture.

The former head physiotherapist of NCA shared his insights and roadmap on how the Indian team management should manage the workload of all players.

"Ahead of this Test series, the purpose should be to ensure all the players are in the safe zone, where the bodies are used to functioning at a certain level, and what they do on the field is not unexpected," said Kaushik.

"After a bout of activity, one has to ensure the bodies recover on time before the next activity. They need offloading for a long time, where sleep, nutrition and emotional recovery are essential. It helps keep players energised for the next session," he reasoned.

Kaushik has stern advice for head coach Gautam Gambhir and other coaching staff not to compromise on the players' training.

"Strengthening a bowler enough to take the load of bowling is crucial. They will need to train and strengthen up, spend enough time on the ground and run enough in the form of conditioning programs and ensure the bodies can return in second and third spells and deliver in the same manner," said Kaushik.

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