"I am unable to understand the workload management" - Aakash Chopra on Jasprit Bumrah skipping AUS vs IND 2025 ODIs and playing West Indies Tests

Former India player Aakash Chopra has noted that he isn't able to understand Jasprit Bumrah's workload management. While observing that Bumrah is skipping the upcoming ODI series against Australia and might potentially miss the final two T20Is against the same opponents, he expressed surprise about the ace seamer playing both Tests against the West Indies.

India will face Australia in three ODIs and five T20Is, with the first ODI to be played in Perth on Sunday, October 19. Although Bumrah has been picked in the Indian squad for the T20I series, he has been rested for the ODIs.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener was asked about his thoughts on Bumrah playing the two Tests against the West Indies and skipping the ODI series against Australia.

"I was also slightly surprised. I felt he wouldn't play both Tests, maybe he would play one Test, and that would be the second Test in Delhi, and he would miss Ahmedabad, but he didn't do that," Chopra responded (2:55). "He is missing the ODIs, and I feel he will also miss the last two T20Is in Australia, and he should as well, because within five days of that, you will be playing a Test match in Kolkata, and this Test match is against South Africa. It is going to be extremely critical. So I am unable to understand the workload management, especially when we look at Jasprit," he added.

Jaspit Bumrah played the first Test against the West Indies just four days after the Asia Cup 2025 final. Although the unconventional seamer played only three Tests in the five-match series against England earlier this year, he played both games against the West Indies.

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"When you have a rare talent like that, you give them a little leeway" - Aakash Chopra on Jasprit Bumrah being allowed to pick and choose games

Jasprit Bumrah suffered a back injury in the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that Jasprit Bumrah is being allowed to pick and choose games as he is a rare talent.

"He is a very, very unique case because he is an extremely rare talent. When you have a rare talent like that, you give them a little leeway. You ask them to say how they are feeling. You let them play if they can and miss it if they want to miss," he said (3:25).

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that he doesn't mind the preferential treatment given to the potent seamer.

"He is being given slightly preferential special treatment currently because there is no one like Jassi. There is only one guy. So we assume that whatever is right for him is right for everyone else, which is not a bad thing. I am okay with that," Chopra observed.

Jasprit Bumrah has potentially been rested for the ODI series against Australia as the World Cup is two years away. However, he might have been picked in the T20I squad as part of the preparations for the 2026 T20 World Cup.

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Edited by Kartik Iyer