Legendary Indian all-rounder Kapil Dev has raised concerns over the growing number of injuries among Indian cricketers, especially fast bowlers. Speaking at the JITO Premier League launch, the former India captain said that players must understand their bodies, manage their workload, and take better care of themselves.
India are preparing for the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, which begins on Saturday, August 15, in Galle. Jasprit Bumrah, Sai Sudharsan, and Washington Sundar have been ruled out of the series. Nitish Kumar Reddy has also suffered a quadriceps injury following his increased bowling workload.
"The BCCI Should Look Into How Much Workload Can Be Given to a Fast Bowler" - Kapil Dev on India's injury issues
Kapil Dev urged the BCCI to monitor the workload of fast bowlers more closely as injuries continue to affect the Indian team. He stated that players must understand their bodies and manage the physical demands of modern cricket.
“Playing domestic cricket is very important,” said Kapil Dev at the launch event of the inaugural JITO Premier League. “One should know about one’s own body," Dev said.
"There is too much T20 cricket happening, so you have to be careful about the toll it takes on the body. Our body is actually not tuned to being a fast bowler. Our body is more tuned to being a batter. The BCCI should look into how much workload can be given to a fast bowler,” said Kapil Dev.
"The BCCI Should Put Its Foot Down"- Kapil Dev on India's Struggles Against Spin
Kapil Dev also spoke about India's recent struggles against spin bowling. He believes regular participation in multi-day domestic cricket can help senior players sharpen their skills while also allowing younger cricketers to learn from experienced teammates.
“The reason why Indian teams struggle against spin is that the top players don’t play enough domestic cricket. That’s where the BCCI should put its foot down and make everyone play multi-day matches. The other aspect is that the younger generation will get to learn from the top players,” Kapil Dev observed.
“In recent times, India has not been the best against spin bowling. They play too many T20Is and ODIs. Test matches are a different ball game. I hope they can put their heads together.”
India are currently in fifth place in the 2025-27 World Test Championship standings. The upcoming series in Sri Lanka will be important for the team to improve its position and stay in contention for the WTC Final.
India Face Injury Problems Ahead of Sri Lanka Tests
Jasprit Bumrah, Sai Sudharsan and Washington Sundar were among the players whose availability remained subject to fitness before they were ruled out of the Sri Lanka series. The BCCI subsequently added Auqib Nabi and Sarfaraz Khan to the squad.
As many as 13 players are currently recovering at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, adding to the team's workload concerns. India will now need to manage its available players carefully during the two-Test series against Sri Lanka.
To make matters worse, captain Shubman Gill was hit twice on his hand during the warm-up game against Sri Lanka Cricket XI and missed the early stages of the match. He also dealt with cramp and neck problems during the previous England tour.
