While the spotlight remains on the 19th season of the ongoing IPL, the Indian men’s cricket team selection committee has already begun preparations for a packed international calendar ahead. A key concern is managing Jasprit Bumrah’s workload. According to a report, the BCCI expects Bumrah to be available for India’s remaining nine matches in the current ICC World Test Championship cycle.
India are currently placed sixth in the WTC standings. They have already suffered a home series whitewash and are scheduled to play two Tests each against Sri Lanka and New Zealand, before hosting Australia for a five-match series next year.
While the team management and selectors are also keeping an eye on next year’s ODI World Cup, the immediate priority is
to resurrect India’s WTC campaign – and Bumrah will be central to that effort.
“The attempt is to keep Bumrah fit enough to play all Tests,” The Times Of India quoted BCCI sources as saying. “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.”
Top Players To Be Rested Afghanistan Test?
A report earlier this week suggested that India could rest several top players for the one-off Test against Afghanistan, which begins just days after the conclusion of IPL 2026. However, those players may return for the three-match ODI series against the same opponent that follows the red-ball fixture, scheduled to be held in Mullanpur from June 6.
A final decision though is expected toward the end of the IPL season.
“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 daily quoted sources as saying.
Notably, India’s Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill has publicly expressed his desire for the team to have more preparation time ahead of major Test series.
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