'Haven't taken call which three games he will play' - Gautam Gambhir on Jasprit Bumrah's availability in England Tests

With Team India departing for their much-anticipated five-match Test series against England on June 5, all eyes are on Jasprit Bumrah’s participation in the long tour. Head coach Gautam Gambhir addressed the media in Mumbai ahead of the team’s departure and stressed Bumrah's uncertain availability and how the team plans to manage his workload throughout the series.

Despite Bumrah being India's go-to player, he has been an injury-prone bowler. Recently, he suffered a stress reaction in his lower back during the fifth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia earlier this year in Sydney. The injury forced him out of action for nearly three months, including the ICC Champions Trophy campaign in which India came out victorious without his services.

Since returning to cricket, the 31-year-old has featured in the IPL 2025 for the Mumbai Indians after missing the first four games to focus on his rehabilitation and conditioning. The BCCI, in close contact with the medical team, has continued to monitor his workload carefully to prevent any injury in the upcoming tour. Gautam Gambhir emphasized that no final call had been made on how many and which matches Bumrah would play.

"We haven't taken that call, which three games is he going to play.We are going to have a discussion with him and depending on the series as well. A lot will depend on the results of the series, where the series is heading. That is something which I am sure he is very well aware of as well and that is important," Gambhir said during pre-departure press conference, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.

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Gill backs other bowlers to do job in Bumrah's absence

India's newly appointed Test captain, Shubman Gill, pointed out that while Bumrah is an impactful player, the Indian squad has immense firepower in their bowling line-up that could take up the load. Notably, apart from Bumrah, the team is travelling with four main pacers and two seam-bowling all-rounders

"I think we have picked enough bowlers and we have enough pace battery and a lot of fast bowlers are in a great space to be able to win us Test matches from any situation or any position. Obviously, when you have someone like Jasprit Bumrah, depending on how many matches he would play, whenever he would come back and play the match for us, it would be a great sight for us. But I think we have a great mix of bowlers and a great set of bowlers who can get the job for the team done," Gill concluded.

India will start their England tour on June 20

Meanwhile, speaking of Team India, the visitors will begin the series at Headingley on June 20, followed by Tests at Edgbaston, Lord’s, Old Trafford, and The Oval. Before that, they’ll play a four-day warm-up match against India A from June 13 to 16 at Beckenham.