Mumbai: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is making a big change to Team India’s culture. They’re stopping players from skipping matches whenever they feel like it under the excuse of workload management. Head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar are behind this, wanting to make sure the team always comes first.
A BCCI official mentioned that they’ve talked to players with central contracts, especially those who play all types of cricket, telling them that picking and choosing games won’t be allowed anymore. The message is simple: you can’t just miss important games because you’re worried about your workload. They still care about workload management for fast bowlers, but they don’t want it to mean missing crucial matches.
This decision follows India’s exciting 2-2 draw in the recent Test series against England. Star bowler Jasprit Bumrah only played three of the five Tests, and the BCCI wasn’t too happy about him missing the important fifth Test. They’re also wondering if the sports science team in Bengaluru is doing a good enough job managing player fitness.
In England, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Akash Deep significantly improved their performance, setting a new benchmark. Siraj bowled a crazy 185.3 overs in all five tests, throwing over 1,000 balls while keeping up his speed and energy. His last ball in the Oval Test, a super-fast one that got Gus Atkinson out, secured India’s close win and proved how dedicated he is. Sunil Gavaskar, the former captain of India, praised Siraj, asserting that he demonstrated the oversimplification of the concept of workload. He gave his utmost effort knowing that his team and country relied on him.
England captain Ben Stokes, even with injuries, bowled a lot too, which made people wonder if workload management is just an overrated concept used for convenience. The BCCI official agreed, saying that while quick bowlers need to be taken care of, missing important games is not okay.
Gambhir, who is known for being straightforward, is pushing for a team culture based on hard work and constantly trying to get better. He said the team’s mindset needs to be consistent, focusing on effort and performance, regardless of who’s on the team. He and Agarkar want to make sure Team India stays strong in Test cricket.
Everyone is watching Bumrah, who is reportedly fit and ready to play, as the Asia Cup 2025 approaches. But they might think about his future Test matches before deciding if he should play, since the BCCI doesn’t want any scheduling problems. The board is making it clear that no individual is more important than the team.