Bumrah likely for fourth Test – but workload management questions remain

England have been well-served by captain Ben Stokes shouldering a large burden despite also having a history of injuries – but the nature of his injury makes it possible.

The availability, or not, of Jasprit Bumrah has made the term ‘workload management’ part of the cricket fan’s everyday vocabulary during India’s tour of England in 2025. It was known well before the series that Bumrah would play only three out of the five Tests. There was a faint chance of that number rising to four if one of the games was either heavily affected by rain, or finished very quickly. But all three Tests played so far have gone into the fifth day, rendering that possibility more distant.

India are trailing 2-1, despite having achieved dominant positions in all three Tests at various points. Bumrah played the third Test, but there is an eight-day gap before the fourth Test starts, and assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate indicated that since this was a must-win game if India are to win the series, Bumrah was more likely to play in the fourth Test, which will begin in Manchester from July 23.

“We’ll make that call in Manchester,” Doeschate said after an India training session in Beckenham. “We know we’ve got him for one of the last two Tests. I think it’s pretty obvious that the series on the line now in Manchester, so there will be a leaning towards playing him.

“But, again, we’re gonna look at all the factors. How many days of of cricket are we going to get up there, what do we feel is our best chance of winning that game, and then how that fits in together with The Oval (the venue of the final Test) and and looking at the last two games holistically as part of the series.”

Bumrah vs Ben Stokes

While Bumrah is undoubtedly India’s most important player, England’s most vital player is their captain Ben Stokes. Just like Bumrah, workload management has been an issue with Stokes too. He’s had to battle injuries in his career, again, like Bumrah. He has the ability to produce magic at any point in a game and turn it, as Bumrah does.

But during this series, Stokes’ workload has been remarkable. He bowled 44 overs in the third Test at Lord’s, and across three Tests, he has delivered 105 overs. And he has given it his all on every ball of every over bowled. Across three Tests, he has been England’s best bowler in fact. And this is in addition to his batting and captaincy load.

When asked about his thoughts on workload management given Stokes’ showing, particularly on Day 5 of the Lord’s Test when he bowled extended spells, Doeschate said the situations were different.

“That was super impressive, for Ben to come out on the last day and bowl the amount of overs he did with the intensity he did and, obviously, bats and fields as well,” Doeschate said. “We’re not here to compare our bowlers to individuals from other teams. We have our own strengths.

“We know what particularly Jasprit does in shorter spells, which he prefers bowling in.”

The difference in the nature injuries

The reason the Ben Stokes workload argument doesn’t work for Bumrah is because they both had to come back from different injuries. Bumrah’s unique bowling action puts more of a strain on his back, and those are notoriously difficult injuries to manage and rehab from.

Stokes’ issue was more with his knees. How he has managed that is by shedding weight and having artificial cartilages inserted via knee surgery. The leaner frame means there is less load that the knees have to bear, which has allowed Stokes to bowl with a lot more intensity and a lot longer than he could have previously.

Which is why as Doeschate said, “Not everyone has to be the same, and we feel that, in consultation with Jasprit, how we use him is the best way for the team.”

More crucially, as India showed in the second Test, they have the personnel to win a game even without Bumrah. They are undoubtedly a better team with Bumrah in it – as any team in the world would be – but there is enough talent in the squad to take the 20 wickets required for a Test match win.

Whether or not Bumrah plays, that should be the Indian team’s focus.