“Now you need him against UAE?” - Former India cricketer’s brutal remark on Jasprit Bumrah ahead of Asia Cup 2025 opener

Former India cricketer Ajay Jadeja feels that there is no need for pacer Jasprit Bumrah to feature in the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 group stage clash against the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The team management has been vocal regarding the star bowler's workload, and he was recently rested in two of the five Tests against England during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.

The right-arm pacer is set to feature in an international white-ball contest for the first time since the 2024 T20 World Cup Final. Since then, he has largely been deployed only for Test cricket, and rested for the bilateral T20I affairs. However, with Team India beginning their road towards the 2026 T20 World Cup, the speedster returns to the setup as an automatic and undisputable selection.

Jasprit Bumrah dealt with a minor niggle towards the end of the England tour recently. However, after a relatively rare, lengthy break, the pacer returns to the white-ball setup.

Ajay Jadeja opined that if Team India are serious about managing Jasprit Bumrah's workload, they should not feature him in matches against minnows.

""What is the need to play Bumrah tomorrow, man? Usually, you keep him wrapped in cotton wool. Now you need him even against UAE? Either don't protect him at all, and if you need to preserve him, then do it in these type of matches. Logic dictates that, but we never do things with logic. I will go on strike if Bumrah plays," Ajay Jadeja said on Sony Sports Network.

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan, however, implied that since Bumrah is selected to play the tournament, he should play it in its entirety.

"You need to protect Bumrah, I understand. But what my opinion is, and I have said this during the England tour as well, is that if you have come to play a series, then you have to play it completely. You have not come into a series for recovery or management, you have come to play," Irfan Pathan opined.

Jasprit Bumrah is set to feature in the T20 edition of the Asia Cup for the second time in his career. He was early into his international career when the T20 model was implemented in early 2016, but had to miss the subsequent edition in 2022 due to injury.

Team India to face UAE in Asia Cup 2025 on September 10

The Asia Cup 2025 kicked off in Abu Dhabi with a clash between Afghanistan and Hong Kong. The Rashid Khan-led side completed a dominant 94-run win to kickstart their campaign in style.

Group A will commence its proceedings with a clash between India and the UAE on September 10 at the Dubai International Stadium.