The Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy between England and India ended on level terms, 2-2. The world continues to hail Mohammed Siraj‘s workhorse-like ability. The 31-year-old pacer played all five Tests, giving his heart and soul. The pacer was rewarded in the final Test at the Oval, scalping five wickets in the second innings, helping India register a narrow six-run win. However, the focus is on Jasprit Bumrah, who played just three Tests owing to workload management. The decision to have him feature in three games continues to polarise opinion.
Former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar believes Bumrah should have missed the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season for the Mumbai Indians in order to prioritise the Test series against England.
Bumrah played all five Tests against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. However, he went down in the Sydney match due to a back spasm, leading to him being ruled out of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy. He then also missed the initial few games for the Mumbai Indians.
However, he made his much-awaited return in the game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Before the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, Bumrah informed the BCCI that he would play just three Tests against England to manage his workload.
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“Considering the importance of the India versus England Tests series and his fragile back, Bumrah should have been told by the BCCI, selectors and the Indian team management to miss IPL-2025. It was very important that we had a fully fit and refreshed Bumrah for this iconic series,” Vengsarkar told Times of India.
“If I was the India chief selector, I would have convinced Mukesh Ambani (Mumbai Indians owner) and Bumrah that it was important for Bumrah to miss the IPL for the England series, or play a lesser number of matches in the IPL. I’m sure that they would have agreed to do so,” he added.
‘Who remembers IPL?’
In the three Tests Bumrah played against England, the pacer returned with two five-wicket hauls at Headingley and Lord’s. Vengsarkar believes Bumrah should have prioritised Tests, as no one really remembers the runs and wickets in the IPL.
“Who remembers the runs and wickets taken in the IPL? However, people will remember Mohammed Siraj’s lion-hearted performance in this series, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant’s sublime batting, and Washington Sundar’s superb all-round performance,” said Vengsarkar.
The former India captain believes India could have won the series had Bumrah been available for the entire contest. However, he also stated that the pacer cannot be blamed, as he underwent back surgery recently.
“It was a series for the ages and I wish Bumrah was available for almost all the Tests. We could have won the series if that was the case,” said Vengsarkar.
“You can’t blame Bumrah for missing matches at times. We must remember that Bumrah has undergone back surgery. His back is vulnerable, and we must be cautious with him. You can’t question his commitment for the country. He has given his all whenever he has played for India. I hope he returns for India after adequate rest and when fully fit,” he added.
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