Gautam Gambhir & Co. responsible for Jasprit Bumrah's injury? Sunil Gavaskar makes bold claim

Legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar defended the Indian cricket team management after Jasprit Bumrah was forced to miss the second innings of the fifth and final Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) due to a back spasm.

Despite India's 1-3 loss in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, Jasprit Bumrah had a remarkable Australia tour, finishing as the leading wicket-taker with an incredible 32 wickets at an average of 13.06 and winning the Player of the Series award.

Sunil Gavaskar defends Indian cricket team management's handling of Jasprit Bumrah on Australia tour

However, due to a back spasm, the 31-year-old pacer couldn’t bowl in the second innings, and it proved costly to Team India as Australia easily chased down 162 in only 27 overs, with six wickets in hand, to clinch the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 by winning the Test series 3-1 at home.

Read Also: "Shouldn’t be considered for selection" - Sunil Gavaskar gives stern message to BCCI on Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma

Amidst the heavy criticism of overloading Jasprit Bumrah during the five-match Test series, Sunil Gavaskar stated that the Indian cricket team management acted in the best interest of the team, as the ace pacer’s absence in key moments could have worsened their position.

Notably, Jasprit Bumrah bowled over 53 overs across two innings in the Boxing Day Test, taking eight wickets to keep India in the contest. Having already bowled more than 141 overs in the first four Tests, the Indian pacer managed to bowl just 10 overs in the first innings of the Sydney Test before being forced to leave the field due to injury, leading many to blame the management for the situation.

They did what was best for the team: Sunil Gavaskar

Sunil Gavaskar was quoted as saying by India Today: “I think they did what was best for the team, because without him, India would not have been in any position in the series. And therefore, when you have a bowler who's taking the wickets, you tend to overbowl him to an extent, and that is totally understandable.

"I don't think we can blame the team management for this because they and Bumrah were only looking to do what was good for the team at that particular point in time.”

The former Indian captain and one of the batting greats, Gavaskar, acknowledged that Bumrah's heavy workload, especially on the fourth day of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, really took a toll on his body. He also mentioned how Bumrah asked Rohit Sharma not to bowl him at the MCG.

Read Also: Harbhajan Singh calls for Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma's AXING: "Selection should be based on performance"

Sunil Gavaskar admits the load had just gotten a little too much on Jasprit Bumrah

The legendary cricketer further noted, “I think what really took the load for him was the fourth day in Melbourne, where he bowled eight to nine different spells of three to four overs. And I think that really took a toll on his body. And there was actually a video of him saying to Rohit Sharma, ‘Ab bass ho gaya,’ which actually tells you that even for a man who loves bowling, who enjoys taking wickets for India, the load had just gotten a little too much.”

He signed off by saying that Bumrah is a very dedicated cricketer, and if he had been a little bit able to bowl, he would have come out and bowled, and he was hoping that he would bowl at least four or five overs in the beginning, and that would have made a lot of difference, but that could not happen.