Overview

• Sunil Gavaskar warned that “nobody is indispensable” and urged selectors to specify Bumrah’s playing schedule, insisting he must feature in India’s four World Test Championship Tests from October to November.
• Former chief selector Chetan Sharma endorsed team physios’ workload guidance and defended Bumrah’s decision to play only three of five Tests in England on medical advice.
• The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee is due to finalise the Asia Cup squad on August 19-20 and has yet to announce whether Bumrah will be included in the T20 side.
• Bumrah skipped the second and fifth Tests of the England tour under a preplanned rotation, drawing criticism over his absence from the must-win Oval match.
• Selectors now face pressure to establish transparent criteria for managing Bumrah’s workload across overlapping formats as India prepares for the Asia Cup T20 tournament and crucial WTC fixtures.