Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has encouraged Jasprit Bumrah to focus on his future with the Indian team after he was left out of the T20I squad for the series against England and Ireland. Despite this, he is included in the squad for the 2026 Asian Games.
Bumrah missed the T20I selection due to concerns about his workload, having participated in 13 out of 14 games during the IPL. His performance in the 2026 season was lackluster, with only four wickets in his matches. Manjrekar expressed confusion over Bumrah’s availability, especially considering his inclusion for the upcoming Asian Games in late September.
“The Asian Games are not as significant in the long run. Cricket remains about bilateral series and World Cups. While winning the Asian Games is nice, I’m puzzled by Bumrah’s availability. I thought he’d be a strong candidate to lead India in T20s, managing the workload well,” Manjrekar stated on the Sony Sports Network.
He also questioned Bumrah’s selective participation in matches, wishing for more commitment to the team.
“It appears he isn’t eager to play every game for India. Here’s a player resting for Indian matches while staying fit for select games. This confusing approach is something I struggle to understand. I hope he commits more to India. Given his IPL participation, I expected he could handle a few T20 games in Ireland and England,” he added.
‘He was my go-to captain’ – Manjrekar on Bumrah
Manjrekar identified Bumrah as his top choice for captain after Shreyas Iyer was appointed as the new T20 captain, noting that Bumrah’s concerns about workload have led to younger players, like Shubman Gill, stepping into leadership roles early.
“I wish he had been available. He was my preferred captain, with both talent and leadership skills. Bumrah’s reluctance for captaincy has pushed others into these roles sooner than expected,” he concluded.