Glenn McGrath, the fast bowling great, feels Jasprit Bumrah’s unusual bowling style puts a lot of stress on his body and he needs regular breaks to stay fit. He said other bowlers have to step up and share the load to keep an eye on Bumrah’s playing time.
Bumrah played only three Tests in the current Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series against England and was rested for the final Test at the Oval due to medical advice. Later he was dropped from the squad and now there’s a debate on how long he can last in Test cricket.
Speaking at an event in Chennai, Glenn McGrath said India has to manage Bumrah better, especially in long series.
McGrath said you want your best bowler to bowl and they will want to bowl all the time. If he’s only bowling for short periods, the batting team knows they can get through those overs. So, it depends on the other bowlers.
He added it’s not just about Bumrah; other Indian fast bowlers also need to improve so Bumrah doesn’t have to bowl long spells all the time.
You need other fast bowlers to share the workload so he doesn’t have to bowl long spells. Bumrah is very good in ODI and T20 cricket and it would be a shame if he can’t play Test cricket. But, he has to decide what’s best for him.
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Earlier this year Bumrah bowled too much during India’s tour of Australia and had to take a long break till mid-IPL 2025. Even in the England series he had already bowled a lot in the first three Tests and was rested for the final Test.
At the same event, Glenn McGrath said Bumrah’s action is very different from most fast bowlers, with a slow approach and a quick burst of speed right at the crease.
He said his action is different from many fast bowlers. He has a slow approach and in the last few steps he speeds up. He has hyperextension and a great wrist. And he releases the ball closer to the batter because of his method compared to other bowlers. So, he is unique and when he does it right, it works. He has found what works for him. He releases the ball closer to the batter because of his hyperextension and wrist position which is good but also puts stress on his body. McGrath said Bumrah should take a long off-season and train harder to be more physically fit. This will help his body to handle the workload in Test cricket.
