Former Indian batter Manoj Tiwary breaks his silence against Jasprit Bumrah for not playing all five test matches of the Anderson Tendulkar Trophy 2025 against England.
Team India’s ace pacer faced severe backlash for his over-cautious approach, citing workload management.
As informed to the team management, Bumrah ensured his availability only for three tests. He was rested for the second and fifth tests played at Edgbaston and Birmingham. Surprisingly, India won those two tests that Bumrah skipped.
Not just Tiwary but several fans and former cricketers criticized the Indian veteran speedster for his opt-in and opt-out behavior.
‘No Player is Bigger than the Game’: Manoj Tiwary’s Opinion
In a recent interaction with CricTracker, Manoj Tiwary questioned the star players’ pick-and-choose policy:
“Certainly! I believe we missed a trick in England. You shouldn’t pick such players who are unfit to play all five matches in a test series.
No cricketer is bigger than the game, and everyone should be aware of that. Let it be Jasprit Bumrah, Rohit Sharma, or Virat Kohli, they are not bigger than cricket and should realize the fact,” Tiwary said.
Why is Bumrah Too Cautious About His Workload?
Starting from a thumb injury in 2018 to back spasms in 2025, Jasprit Bumrah’s track record of succumbing to multiple injuries poses a threat to his longevity and makes him follow a selective style of play.
Earlier, Bumrah played all five test matches against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25. He was the leading wicket taker throughout the tour, having claimed 32 wickets in 9 innings at an average of 13.06 and an economy of 2.76.
But he suffered a back strain during the second session on Day 02 of the fifth test at Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). As the stand-in skipper was expected to bowl a few more overs, he left the SCG along with the medical staff and rushed to the nearby hospital for scans.
Bumrah was advised to rest for five weeks to gain complete recovery from his lower back injury. As a result, he was ruled out of the Champions Trophy 2025 and missed the first four matches for the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.
Ever since Bumrah made a tremendous recovery from back spasms, he has been extremely cautious about his workload.
Manoj Tiwary’s Important Suggestion To Indian Team Management
Furthermore, Tiwary advised the team management not to select a player who is unfit to survive in the 5-match test series:
“Yeah! It would be better if the Indian team management or selectors knew that a player should not be picked if he is unable to take part in five consecutive test matches.
And the second reason is that you need to know if there was neither any backup nor any bench strength, then you have to rely on Jasprit Bumrah. This is because it is a known fact that no other bowlers are ready to take place in international cricket.
In contrast, when you have a solid bench strength and a set of fast bowlers who have been performing well, then he (Bumrah) shouldn’t have been the first choice,” Tiwary suggested.
Was England Confident of Bumrah’s Selective Approach?
Manoj Tiwary slammed the Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir and the selectors, openly declaring about Bumrah’s workload management. This allowed England to get well-prepared and gain confidence:
“Exactly! This was one of the biggest mistakes the Indian team could have avoided. England’s confidence levels grew when it was publicly announced that Bumrah would play only 3 out of 5 test matches,” Manoj Tiwary added.
Bumrah vs Siraj: Who Performed Well in the Anderson Tendulkar Trophy 2025?
Mohammed Siraj not only led the pace bowling attack in Jasprit Bumrah’s absence, but also concluded as the leading wicket-taker in the Anderson Tendulkar Trophy 2025. He bowled 185.3 overs (1,113 balls) and bagged 23 wickets in 9 innings at an average of 32.43.
On the other hand, Bumrah’s participation in three test matches was well-publicized. He ranked as the fourth-highest wicket-taker, having bowled just 119.4 overs (718 balls) and managed to claim 14 wickets in 5 innings.
It is to be noted that Siraj and Bumrah are the only two Indian bowlers who have achieved 5-wicket hauls twice in the 5-match test series in England.
Conclusion
Before the start of the 5-match test series in England, the Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir clarified that Jasprit Bumrah would feature in only three test matches to manage his workload. Therefore, the entire team management was cautious to avoid risking him getting injured again after he recovered from a severe back spasm.
At present, Bumrah is gearing up to entertain fans and play a crucial role for his team during the Asia Cup 2025, starting on September 09. But the question arises if the experienced pace bowler plays all matches in the tournament or follows a selective approach similar to the Anderson Tendulkar Trophy.