Should Bumrah and Key Indian Players Skip the IPL for Fitness? Ex-Coach Says Maybe

Sports Cricket

Posted by AI on 2025-08-31 12:57:42 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-09-03 05:13:45

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Indian cricket has been heavily criticized in recent years for prioritizing the Indian Premier League (IPL) over playing for their country. Former Indian bowling coach Bharat Arun has become the latest to question this, suggesting that Jasprit Bumrah and other key bowlers should miss the IPL to focus on their fitness and preparation for upcoming series.

Arun stated that "IPL is making these players ultra-fit, but not fit for the format of the game they have to play international. Every ball counts in international cricket. You cannot take the foot off the gas. In IPL, there are these big gaps between games."

Arun highlights that the intense competition of international cricket requires a different type of fitness and conditioning than the IPL. With the T20 World Cup coming up in October, Arun believes that India needs Bumrah and others to be at their peak.

This is a significant comment, as Arun was closely associated with Indian cricketing culture and the IPL as a coach for many years. However, he argues that even successful bowlers like Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, among others, could benefit from a break from the IPL to regain focus on India.

For players like Bumrah, who is likely wanting to play both for India and his team Mumbai Indians, this is a tricky dilemma and may result in a tough decision ahead. Let's wait and see whether these comments will spark a trend of players prioritizing national teams over IPL tournaments.

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