BCCI’s Big Call: Jasprit Bumrah Set to Play Remainder of WTC Cycle Amid India’s Test Struggles

With Team India sixth in the World Test Championship standings, the Board of Control for Cricket in India is planning a bold move for Jasprit Bumrah. He is expected to play all nine remaining Tests, with workload managed carefully to keep him fit for the crucial series against Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and Australia.

Jasprit Bumrah (File Photo)

Image Credit: Getty

The lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah is reportedly set to play the remaining nine matches of the ongoing World Test Championship, as Team India pushes for a turnaround after slipping to sixth in the points table.

Under the captaincy of Shubman Gill and the guidance of head coach Gautam Gambhir, Team India has been inconsistent in the longest format, winning four matches and losing as many, with a PCT of 48.15%, leaving their WTC campaign hanging in the balance. India drew the five-match series against England, registered a clean sweep over the West Indies, and suffered a whitewash at home against South Africa.

With the WTC cycle entering its second half and nine matches left, India’s path to the final hinges on a strong finish as they look to regain momentum.

Bumrah To Play All Nine Tests

Team India’s path to its third World Test Championship (WTC) final is currently far from straightforward, with little margin of error for the remaining fixtures. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is expecting Jasprit Bumrah to remain fit and available for the rest of the cycle, with the pacer set to shoulder a significant workload in the coming Tests.

“The attempt is to keep Bumrah fit enough to play all Tests. He is expected to play the four Tests in Sri Lanka and New Zealand. The challenge will be to keep him fresh for the five Tests at home against Australia,” a BCCI source told the Times of India.

“The selectors won’t mind resting him for some ODI series. He played T20 cricket after a gap of two years in the Asia Cup last Sept and still delivered,” the source added.

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Bumrah’s workload management has been a priority in recent years, with Team India’s lead pacer featuring in only three of the five Tests against England, where he picked up 14 wickets, including two five-wicket hauls, at an average of 26.00 and an economy rate of 3.04. The 32-year-old also featured in the home Test series against the West Indies and South Africa.

Since the 2023 ODI World Cup Final, Jasprit Bumrah hasn’t played a single ODI series, prioritising T20Is in the build-up to the 2026 T20 World Cup and Tests as part of his workload management.

‘Get Serious About Tests’

With the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 is underway, where India’s key Test players are actively involved, the focus will soon shift back to the longest format as the team gears up for a crucial phase in the WTC cycle.

A BCCI source stated that the focus is to prioritise Test cricket, using upcoming fixtures as crucial preparation while assessing players ahead of a decisive phase in the WTC cycle.

“The idea is to get serious about Tests. The Afghanistan Test may be outside the WTC cycle, but there’s nothing like match practice. The top players will be assessed, and a call on them will be taken accordingly,” a source said.

Team India will resume their WTC cycle in the two-match away series against Sri Lanka in August this year, followed by another two away Tests against New Zealand. The Shubman Gill-led side will host Australia for the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in early January 2027, a stretch that could ultimately define their chances of reaching the WTC final.