Former Indian cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar feels that pacer Jasprit Bumrah should have skipped IPL 2025 to stay fit for the crucial Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.

Bumrah played only three out of five tests, where the visitors claimed a 2-2 draw. The two matches that India won didn’t feature Bumrah because of the pre-decided Workload management plan.

“Considering the importance of the India versus England Test series and his fragile back, Bumrah should have been told by the BCCI, selectors and the Indian team management to miss IPL 2025,” said Vengsarkar.

“It was very important that we had a fully fit and refreshed Bumrah for this iconic series. Who remembers the runs and wickets taken in the IPL? questioned Dilip Vengsarkar.

However, people will remember Mohammed Siraj’s lion-hearted performance in this series, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant’s sublime batting and Washington Sundar’s superb all-round performance,” Vengsarkar added.

“A series like this one takes place probably once in four years. I believe India aren’t playing a five-Test series till Jan 2027 (against Australia). It was a series for the ages and I wish Bumrah were available for almost all the Tests,”  Dilip Vengsarkar said.

Returning from a back injury which forced him to miss the 2025 Champions Trophy in the UAE but played 12 games in the IPL 2025 for Mumbai Indians.

He went on to bowl 48 overs and took 18 wickets for Mumbai franchise. Bumrah’s absence in the final test did raise some questions over his workload management, but the team management made it clear that pacer couldn’t have been risked.

Jasprit Bumrah finished 14 wickets in three matches at an impressive economy of three and an average of 26.

He finished as the fourth-highest wicket taker in the series, behind Mohammed Siraj, Josh Tongue, and Ben Stokes. Playing only three games, Bumrah went on to bowl 119.4 overs in the England Series.