Asia Cup 2025: 'I’ll go on strike if Jasprit Bumrah plays': Ex-India captain questions team selection

Jasprit Bumrah's return for India's Asia Cup opener against the UAE has sparked debate over workload management, following his absence from recent England Tests. Ajay Jadeja questioned deploying Bumrah in a low-pressure game, while Irfan Pathan advocated for his consistent availability throughout the series. India faces a balancing act in ensuring Bumrah's sharpness for major tournaments without risking early burnout.

India head coach Gautam Gambhir and Jasprit Bumrah (Ben Whitley/PA via AP)

As India gear up to face the UAE in their Asia Cup 2025 opener on Wednesday, the spotlight has fallen on Jasprit Bumrah’s return. The pace spearhead is likely to feature after sitting out the final two Tests in England, but his selection has once again ignited debate over workload management. Bumrah’s absence from the Lord’s and Oval Tests had already raised questions, and with India’s packed schedule across formats in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup, concerns about how he is handled remain. This will also be his first white-ball appearance for India since the last T20 World Cup.

Jasprit Bumrah's special training ahead of Asia Cup 2025 in Dubai

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Not everyone is convinced about his immediate comeback. Ajay Jadeja, speaking on Sony Sports Network, joked that he would go on strike if Bumrah played against the UAE. He questioned the logic of deploying India’s strike bowler in a relatively low-pressure game, suggesting this is the kind of match where he could have been rested.

Poll

Should Jasprit Bumrah play in the opener against UAE?

Yes, he is crucial for the team No, he should be rested Only if he's fully fit

Irfan Pathan shared a slightly different perspective. The former all-rounder argued that if a player is in the squad, he should be available for the entire series and not just select games. He felt that chopping and changing only harms the rhythm. Pathan backed a bowling attack built around Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy and Axar Patel, supported by Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube for depth. In his view, if India extend their batting till No. 8, there may be no room for Kuldeep Yadav.

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