To shake things up, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has advised the Indian team to take Test cricket more seriously, and a key part of that will be Jasprit Bumrah possibly playing all the remaining matches of the ongoing World Test Championship cycle. According to a report in the Times of India, Bumrah has been told to play through the WTC, including two Tests in New Zealand and the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia early next year. With India struggling in the existing WTC cycle – currently placed sixth in the points table – the push to revive the team’s good fortunes in Test cricket seems to have taken priority. To achieve this, the BCCI does not mind Bumrah missing a few ODI series, even though the 50-overs World Cup is little over a year away.
Bumrah’s workload has always been a hot topic of discussion, as the pacer has shown a tendency to break down if not given a breather. He was ruled out for a considerable period – missing the Champions Trophy – after featuring in all five Tests in Australia. India therefore rested him for two of the five Tests in England, a series they drew 2-2 last August-September. However, that practice is set to take a backseat as Bumrah remains an invaluable asset for India in the 2025-26 WTC.
“The attempt is to keep Bumrah fit enough to play all Tests. He is expected to play the four Tests in Sri Lanka and New Zealand. The challenge will be to keep him fresh for the five Tests at home against Australia. The selectors won’t mind resting him for some ODI series. He played T20 cricket after a gap of two years in the Asia Cup last Sept and still delivered,” TOI quoted a BCCI source as saying.
‘Get serious about Tests’
India’s next Test assignment is a one-off Test match against Afghanistan in New Chandigarh starting June 6, and although it’s not part of the current WTC cycle, the match holds prominence as a precursor to the stern test that lies ahead. In September, India will travel to Sri Lanka for two Tests, a series that promises to be a tough challenge given Indian batters’ travails against quality spin. From there, India tour New Zealand, where they haven’t won a series since 2009 – ironically Gautam Gambhir played a huge role in that win – before attempting to retain the BGT in February-Match of 2027.
“The idea is to get serious about Tests. The Afghanistan Test may be outside the WTC cycle, but there’s nothing like match practice. The top players will be assessed, and a call on them will be taken accordingly,” the source added.
India is already hurting from the dramatic fall in Test cricket. In two years, India has been whitewashed at home twice – losing 0-3 to New Zealand in 2024 and 0-2 to South Africa just last November. For a team that used to dominate at home and pose a stiff threat to opponents in their backyard, the decline under Gambhir has been alarming.