'What Happened To Bumrah?': Kapil Dev Blasts BCCI, Says 'IPL Can Spoil You'

Indian youth are still getting used to the fifty-over format, while several of the team's key players, like KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah, and Shreyas Iyer, are still recovering from injuries.

Kapil Dev emphasised how challenging it has become for players to take care of themselves since the inception of the Indian Premier League. ( Image Source :PTI )

With the ODI World Cup 2023 just months away, Team India's preparations for the marquee home competition haven't exactly instilled much confidence. Rohit Sharma-led Indian side enjoyed a successful start to 2023 with series victories over Sri Lanka and New Zealand in January, but two months later they suffered a 1-2 home loss to Australia. As attention switched to other formats of cricket due to the World Test Championship final and Indian Premier League, the team made its comeback to ODI cricket with a three-match series against the West Indies earlier this week, but it hasn't exactly been promising.

In first ODI, India bowled out West Indies for merely 114 runs, but still the visitors lost five wickets while chasing. Rven though India won the match, their performance wasn’t that impactful. In the second ODI, India decided to rest both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, resulting in a complete collapse in the batting lineup. India lost 2nd ODI by six wickets to Windies after being bowled out for 181.

Indian youth are still getting used to the fifty-over format, while several of the team's key players, like KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah, and Shreyas Iyer, are still recovering from injuries. Rishabh Pant is also still out after being seriously injured in a vehicle accident in December, last year. When you add it all together, Rohit and company's outlook for the ODI World Cup doesn't seem promising, at least not right now.

While discussing India's management of the injured players in the run-up to the World Cup, former India captain Kapil Dev, who guided India to their first-ever World Cup victory in 1983, didn't hold back. In an extensive interview with The Week magazine, Kapil discussed several of the significant players, including Bumrah and Pant, and emphasised how challenging it has become for players to take care of themselves since the inception of the Indian Premier League.

“What happened to Bumrah? He started working with so much belief, but if he's not there (in World Cup semi-final/final)... we wasted time on him. Rishabh Pant... such a great cricketer. Had he been there, our Test cricket would've been better,” Kapil said.

“God is kind, it's not as if I never got injured. But today, they are playing 10 months in a year. Give a benefit of doubt to that, but everybody has to look after themselves. IPL is a great thing but IPL can spoil you also. Because, a little bit of injuries and you will play in IPL. A little bit of injuries, you won't play for India. You would take a break. I'm being very open about it,” said the former India all-rounder.

Kapil also urged the Indian Cricket Board to be proactive in handling injury related issues and take necessary actions to keep the players available for crucial tournaments.

“If you have a small injury, you would play in IPL if it's an important game. At this stage, cricket board has to understand how much cricket they should play. That is the bottomline. If today, you have resources, money, but you don't have three or five-year calendars. There's something wrong with cricket board there,” said Kapil.

The BCCI provided an upbeat report on Bumrah, Iyer, and Rahul earlier this month, noting that all three are progressing well with their healing. India will resume play in ODIs at the Asia Cup, where the team is paired with archrivals Pakistan and Nepal, following the third and final ODI against the West Indies on Tuesday.