Sourav Ganguly Advises Shubman Gill on Managing Jasprit Bumrah for England Test Series

Ganguly's Guidance for the New Test Captain
Sourav Ganguly, the former captain of India and current BCCI president, has provided strategic advice to Shubman Gill, the newly appointed Test captain, regarding the effective use of pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah in the forthcoming Test series against England.
India's Test tour of England is set to commence on June 20, with the opening match scheduled at Headingley. This series marks a significant transition for Indian Test cricket, as it will be played without three key players: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin, all of whom have retired from the longest format. Rohit and Kohli have officially ended their careers, while Ashwin announced his retirement during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after a drawn match at the Gabba.
Focus on Jasprit Bumrah's Workload Management
As India enters this new phase of Test cricket under Gill's leadership, the spotlight will be on Jasprit Bumrah. He is not only one of the senior members of the team but also a player whose workload needs careful management to prevent injuries during the series.
Ganguly emphasized the importance of Bumrah's role, suggesting that Gill should utilize him strategically as a 'wicket-taker' rather than overusing him throughout the day. He stated, "Bumrah is your man. You have to understand that you can't just keep bowling him. Shubman Gill has to take note. Use him as a wicket-taker. Don't bowl him more than 12 overs a day," during an event organized by Revzsport.
He further added, "Let the other bowlers step up. If you can protect Bumrah and use him as a wicket-taker, you surely have a chance."
Bumrah's Injury History and Current Form
Jasprit Bumrah faced a back injury during the Sydney Test in January, sidelining him for three months and causing him to miss the Champions Trophy 2025, which India won against New Zealand. He made his return during IPL 2025, where he took 18 wickets in 12 matches for the Mumbai Indians.
BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir confirmed that Bumrah would not participate in all five Tests against England to mitigate the risk of re-injury and to keep him fit for critical moments in the series.
Ganguly's Confidence in Shubman Gill
In addition to his advice on Bumrah, Ganguly expressed confidence in Shubman Gill's potential as both a captain and a batsman. He noted that Gill must rise to the occasion and contribute runs for the team.
"He still has some work to do as a Test batter. These are conditions where he needs to score runs," Ganguly remarked.
"He is a young captain, and he will learn. Imagine if he does well. How good is it? He will be hailed as a hero. You live for such situations as a player," he added.
Gill has a respectable Test record away from home, accumulating 649 runs, including one century and two fifties, at an average of 29.50 across 24 innings. However, his performance in England has been less impressive, with only 88 runs at an average of 14.66 in six innings.
The upcoming Test series against England is pivotal for Gill, as he aims to demonstrate his leadership skills while also solidifying his reputation as a dependable top-order batsman in challenging overseas conditions.