“Bumrah Must Adjust, Not Indian Cricket” – Sanjay Manjrekar’s No-Nonsense Advice to BCCI

Sanjay Manjrekar has praised India’s young Test side for their grit in England but says the team must make tough decisions when it comes to Jasprit Bumrah’s place in the playing XI.

Writing in his column for Hindustan Times, Manjrekar lauded the batting efforts of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar. He said their ability to play traditional Test cricket for long periods, despite being T20-era players, was remarkable.

India’s 5-Test series in England, he said, was thrilling for fans, but the quality of bowling from both sides was among the weakest he had seen. Flat pitches and selection choices, like leaving out Kuldeep Yadav entirely, also reduced the contest’s intensity.

Manjrekar pointed out that India’s two wins in the series came in matches where Bumrah did not play. He believes this should encourage selectors to consider form, fitness, and availability over reputation.

“If Bumrah cannot play more than two matches in a row, he should not be your frontline pick,” Manjrekar wrote. He argued that match-fit players, eager to play every game, should get priority even over highly skilled stars.

Citing performances from Siraj and Akash Deep, who stepped up in Bumrah’s absence, Manjrekar said it proves the team can win without big names like Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rohit Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Bumrah.

He also called on Bumrah to work on his fitness and durability if he wants a long Test career. “Indian cricket must not adjust for Bumrah, Bumrah must,” he concluded.