Former Pakistan fast bowler Umar Gul has strongly criticised the lack of a proper workload management and rotation policy in Pakistan cricket, using Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah as an example of how things should be done.
Speaking on PTV Sports, Gul said that in Pakistan, players often push themselves to play despite being only 70–80% fit because they fear losing their place in the team if a replacement performs well.
“In our system, a senior player will say, ‘I want to play,’ even if he’s not fully fit. This happens because if a new player comes in and does well, there’s no rotation policy to support the senior’s return. Your priority should be the senior player — when he gets fit, you play him,” Gul stressed.
He contrasted this with India’s approach, highlighting how the BCCI has managed Jasprit Bumrah’s workload carefully, most notably during the Test series against England where Bumrah played three of the five matches to stay fresh.
Gul also underlined that both players and management share responsibility for injury prevention and recovery. “The player knows his own body best. Doctors and trainers can guide you, but the cricketer must be honest about how much rest he needs and when he is ready to play again,” he said.
His comments have sparked discussion on whether Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) should adopt a more structured workload rotation policy similar to India’s, to protect its key players from burnout and injury.
