Two weeks have gone by since India clinched a memorable victory against England at The Oval, drawing the inaugural Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2-2. Jasprit Bumrah’s absence from two Tests has been lambasted by many. The debate over Bumrah’s workload management has intensified, with his absence from two out of five Tests drawing varying opinions. Some believe his fitness should be the top priority, while cricket legends like Sunil Gavaskar and Sandip Patil stated that country comes first.

Gavaskar has been particularly outspoken. With the Asia Cup s approaching and Bumrah reportedly available, Gavaskar has reignited the conversation. He has warned both Bumrah and the BCCI selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar. Gavaskar has also questioned the reasoning behind resting Bumrah for the Birmingham and Oval Tests.

“Nobody is indispensable and it’s crucial for the selectors to take a call on Jasprit Bumrah’s availablity. There’s been discussion about his participation in the recent series in England. In all fairness, he had informed the selection committee that he could participate in only three of the five Tests. The real question, though, is whether he should have been included in the crucial final Test, especially considering it was one of the greenest pitches at the Oval in years,” Gavaskar wrote in his column for Mid-day.

“The next Test is in early October, giving him two months to get ready. The Indian team management explained that he wasn’t selected with his future in mind. This is where the line between what’s best for the individual and what’s best for Indian cricket becomes a bit unclear,” Gavaskar added.

Sunil Gavaskar mentioned that if Jasprit Bumrah was fit, he should have played for the sake of Indian cricket. However, it’s unclear whether Bumrah or the management made the decision to leave him out. Ultimately, Gavaskar pointed out that India’s victory proved that no player is irreplaceable, and the game moves forward, regardless of individual absence.

“At that stage, if he was fit, he should have been t part of the team. Whether it was his decision or the management’s to leave him out remains unclear. No one is irreplaceable in the game. The game simply carries on.”