‘He shouldn’t play all three formats’: Ravi Shastri’s advice to Jasprit Bumrah

Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneswar Kumar New Delhi: Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has welcomed Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s return to the T20I squad for the tour of New Zealand and believes his fellow veteran Mohammed Shami has done enough to earn a recall in the longer white-ball and red-ball formats.India begin a tough tour of New Zealand on October 22, which includes five T20Is, five ODIs and two Tests.“There is no substitute for experience,” Shastri told TOI. “When you have a bowler of Bhuvneshwar’s quality and experience, that’s a no-brainer. With the form he’s shown in the IPL and his years in India, he’ll be ideal for New Zealand conditions.”Shastri was equally emphatic about Shami’s case for a comeback.“He has done enough with both the red balls and the white balls to be recalled to the Test and ODI sides,” he said.While advocating the return of veteran batsmen, Shastri stressed that India must carefully manage Jasprit Bumrah’s workload in preparation for the 2027 ODI World Cup.“I don’t think he should play all three formats until the World Cup. He should focus primarily on Test cricket and make sporadic appearances in ODIs and T20Is. I would prefer to keep him for the two Tests in New Zealand where he will be key,” he said.Shastri believes the six-week tour of New Zealand could serve as an important benchmark for Indian cricket, especially with South Africa set to host the 2027 ODI World Cup.“The whole tour is important. It will give a clear indication of where Indian cricket is heading. The conditions there could also reflect some of what India may face in South Africa during the World Cup,” he said.However, India’s Test World Cup hopes remain a big challenge.“Qualifying for the finals is a tall order for India. They probably need to win around 90 per cent of their remaining matches, including the two Tests in New Zealand and at least four out of five against Australia. It’s not impossible, but a lot depends on other results,” Shastri said.He expects the New Zealand conditions to pose a stern test for India’s batting.“New Zealand will come after the winter so the pitches should be fresh and suitable for seam and swing. The ball will be moving in the air and off the surface and the wind can make things more difficult. India will have to adapt quickly.”According to Shastri, the partnership will be vital as wickets can collapse in bunches in these conditions.Test captain Shubman Gill faces a significant test of leadership, though Shastri has backed the No.4 bat to cope.“It’s a huge challenge for a young captain but Gill is in top form and has always done well in New Zealand. He knows the conditions.”As for Rishabh Pant, Shastri’s advice remains simple.“I’ve never told Pant anything other than this: be smart. He’s got immense ability and he shouldn’t change his natural game. Just be aware of the match situation.”Despite all the debate about batting and bowling, Shastri identified fielding as India’s biggest problem.“The biggest improvement I want to see is in the fielding. That has fallen off worryingly. To win big tournaments, the standards have to be much higher. Consistency in batting and bowling is important, but the fielding is what worries me the most,” he said.(Watch India’s tour of New Zealand live and exclusively on Sony Sports Network and Sony LIV from October 22, 2026.)