Will Jasprit Bumrah feature in 2025 Asia Cup?
What's the story
Jasprit Bumrah, India's pace spearhead, has been released from the national squad after completing his quota of three Tests in the ongoing five-match series against England. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed this development on Friday. Now, speculation is rife about Bumrah's next international assignment, especially with the Asia Cup T20 tournament coming up. The continental tournament will be underway on September 9.
Series review
Bumrah's stellar performance in the 1st three Tests
Bumrah had a stellar run in the first three Tests of the series against England, bowling 119.4 overs and taking 14 wickets. He even registered two five-wicket hauls, one at Headingley during the first Test and another at Lord's during the third game. However, he did have a rough outing in Manchester, where he gave away over 100 runs in an innings for the first time in his career.
Upcoming fixtures
Speculation around Bumrah's next international assignment
Bumrah's future participation in international matches is a topic of much discussion. The Asia Cup will end on September 28, and India's first Test against West Indies will begin in Ahmedabad on October 2. This leaves little time for Bumrah if he chooses to play the Asia Cup. A BCCI source said it would be a tough decision but hinted that Bumrah may prefer Test cricket over T20s.
Preparation
Here's how Bumrah can prepare for T20 WC
"It will be a tricky call but Bumrah loves Test cricket and there are World Test Championship points at stake," a BCCI source abreast with Indian selection process told PTI on conditions of anonymity. "As far as T20 is concerned, he can play the series against New Zealand in January, which will be a dress rehearsal for the T20 World Cup."
ODI outlook
What does this mean for Bumrah?
The BCCI source also suggested that Bumrah may not play many ODIs until the T20 World Cup in India. This further complicates his participation in the Asia Cup and subsequent series against West Indies and South Africa. The final decision will be taken by Ajit Agarkar and Gautam Gambhir, keeping in mind Bumrah's workload management and performance on the field.