McGrath also said India should not expect Bumrah to shoulder the entire workload on his own
Published: July 27, 2026, 11:18 PM IST
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https://www.india.com/sports/glenn-mcgrath-urges-jasprit-bumrah-to-manage-workload-for-a-longer-career-8485877/
India’s Jasprit Bumrah reacts during the second ODI between India and England at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff, Wales, on Thursday, July 16, 2026. (Photo: IANS)
Australian fast bowling great Glenn McGrath believes Jasprit Bumrah still has plenty of cricket left in him but stressed that India’s pace spearhead must manage his workload carefully if he wants to enjoy a long career.
Speaking about Bumrah’s future, McGrath said the 31-year-old remains one of the best fast bowlers in the world and has several years of cricket ahead of him. “He’s only a spring chicken,” McGrath said, adding that Bumrah can continue performing at the highest level if his body is managed properly.
McGrath pointed out that Bumrah’s unique bowling action is one of the reasons behind his success but also one that places extra stress on his body.
“His whole action is different to a lot of fast bowlers. He’s got a slow run-up and the last few steps just really accelerate him through the crease. He’s got hyperextension, and he’s just got a great wrist. The way he releases it is a fair bit closer to the batsman because of his technique than all other bowlers. He’s found what works for him,” McGrath said.
The former Australia pacer admitted that Bumrah’s action makes him difficult to copy but also increases the physical demands on his body.
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“Unfortunately, what he does is pretty tough on the body. Especially when you’re playing a lot of cricket, there’s no time to have an off-season. He really needs to get a lot stronger physically and fitter to put up with the stresses of fast bowling. And he needs an off-season. It will get him strong through the season,” McGrath said.
McGrath also said India should not expect Bumrah to shoulder the entire workload on his own. He believes the other fast bowlers in the squad must contribute more so that Bumrah does not have to bowl long spells every time he takes the field.
“You want your best bowler bowling. He’ll want to bowl all the time. But it depends a lot on the other bowlers. You need another group of fast bowlers coming through to balance it out so that he doesn’t have to bowl long spells,” he said.
Drawing from his own career, McGrath said fitness, good bowling action and proper recovery helped him stay injury-free for many years. He added that “99.9 per cent of fast bowlers need an off-season to get strong again,” and believes the same approach will help Bumrah extend his career while remaining one of India’s biggest match-winners.
