‘Broke his back’: Harbhajan slams Indian management over Bumrah's workload

Former cricketer Harbhajan Singh has slammed the Indian management over Jasprit Bumrah’s excessive workload during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

While the right-arm pacer was the Player of the Series, he could not bowl in Australia’s second inning of the final Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test due to a back spasm.

Jasprit Bumrah bowled a staggering 151.2 overs across nine innings of the five-match series and bagged 32 wickets.

However, his workload became a topic of debate in India after he could not get to the field due to a back spasm in Australia’s second inning during the final test.

Several former Indian cricketers raised concerns about Jasprit Bumrah’s excessive workload and India’s increasing reliance on his wicket-taking capabilities.

Harbhajan Singh was also critical of India’s strategy to bowl the pacer throughout the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

“He [Jasprit Bumrah] was used like you squeezed juice from sugarcane. It was like, ‘Travis Head has come, give the ball to Bumrah, Marnus has come, give the ball to Bumrah, Steve Smith has come, give the ball to Bumrah’. How many overs will Bumrah bowl?” he said on his YouTube channel.

Harbhajan Singh called out the team management due to the Indian pacer’s back spasm.

“He has been reduced to such a condition that he was not available at the end. If he was there, Australia may have won the fifth Test but they would have lost eight wickets, and it would have been tough for them. You broke his back. The management should have decided on how many overs he should be given,” the former Indian cricketer said.

Meanwhile, reports said that the star Indian pacer might miss the upcoming T20I series against England due to his back injury.