Glenn McGrath Warns: Jasprit Bumrah's Future Hinges on Team Support
The spotlight on Jasprit Bumrah never seems to fade. Whether it's his toe-crushing yorkers or the swinging deliveries that keep the best batters guessing, Bumrah stands at the heart of India's fast-bowling attack. But now, cricket legend Glenn McGrath has stepped in with a reality check—not about Bumrah's talent, but about whether his body can keep up with the demands of modern international cricket.
McGrath, who knows a thing or two about fast bowling longevity, is sounding the alarm: if India wants Bumrah at full throttle for crucial series, the rest of the pace unit needs to step up and bowl longer spells. It's not just advice, but almost a plea to the Indian selectors and the pace attack—keep your ace fresh, or risk losing him when it matters most. McGrath points out that Bumrah's distinctive, high-effort action makes him especially vulnerable to injuries. He's seen what happens: the innings grind on, Bumrah bowls as hard as he can, and somewhere down the line, his body reminds everyone that it has limits. A missing Bumrah could mean the difference between a famous series win and a humbling defeat. Remember the nerves during the 2021-22 India-Australia Tests? Without him, India could have been in deep trouble.
Why Bumrah Can't Slow Down—and What His Teammates Must Do
There's a temptation to ask Bumrah to take a little off his pace, maybe hold back to stay on the park. McGrath immediately shoots that down. The Australian legend knows that Jasprit Bumrah's danger comes from his speed and the unique shape he gets on the ball. Take away that edge, and you're left with an ordinary seamer. "His effectiveness lies in his natural speed," McGrath insists. Instead, he wants other Indian pacers to shoulder more of the hard yards in long matches. That doesn't mean shielding Bumrah from important spells—it means better sharing of the workload across all five days.
So, what’s the recipe for keeping Bumrah firing? McGrath draws a clear parallel with England's James Anderson. The Englishman is still weaving magic well into his forties because he manages his body with meticulous care—focusing on gym work and picking recovery over mindless practice. Bumrah’s already shown signs of resilience, bouncing back from stress fractures that have put the brakes on other careers. But the challenge now is to ensure his skills aren't wasted from the physio room or rehab center.
McGrath has a straightforward formula: off-season rest, smart strength training, and a carefully managed workload during big series. With a huge India-England Test battle looming, this advice couldn't be more timely. India's long tours and marathon home seasons now require not just strong shoulders but smart, collective responsibility from all pace bowlers. The team needs to look beyond just squeezing the most out of Bumrah whenever the going gets tough. The plan should be to distribute the bowling effort—whether that means giving Mohammed Siraj more overs on flat tracks, or trusting the likes of Mukesh Kumar to keep control when Bumrah is off the field.
- Give Bumrah more genuine breaks during matches when possible
- Encourage other fast bowlers to work on stamina for longer spells
- Focus on injury-prevention routines and smart rest periods
The pressure is always on in Indian cricket, but if the team wants their star pacer around for more than just the next season, McGrath’s message is pretty clear: use Bumrah wisely, or risk losing the one man who can single-handedly turn a game on its head.
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