Cheteshwar Pujara might be out of the current Indian Test squad, but his deep connection with the team remains evident—especially when it comes to Jasprit Bumrah. During the ongoing first Test at Headingley, Leeds, Pujara made a light-hearted yet heartfelt request to Bumrah’s wife and broadcaster, Sanjana Ganesan. He asked her to convince Bumrah to play all five matches in the high-stakes England series despite concerns over his workload and past injuries.
Bumrah, who is already proving to be India’s trump card in the series, was at his lethal best in the first innings, claiming a magnificent 5/83—his 14th five-wicket haul in Test cricket and 12th in overseas conditions. That performance helped India secure a narrow six-run lead despite some fielding lapses.
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Speaking during Sony Sports’ coverage, both Pujara and Sunil Gavaskar directed their appeal to Sanjana, suggesting she had the best chance of persuading Bumrah to take the field in all five matches. Gavaskar pointed out the scheduling advantages: “There’s an eight-day gap between most Tests. He can definitely manage it. He can’t miss Lord’s or The Oval either.”
The People vs. Bumrah’s workload management 👨⚖️
This bench rules: Bumrah MUST play all 5 Tests ✅ 😅#SonySportsNetwork #GroundTumharaJeetHamari #ENGvIND #NayaIndia #DhaakadIndia #TeamIndia | @cheteshwar1 @SanjanaGanesan @Jaspritbumrah93 pic.twitter.com/22f2LichMZ
— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) June 23, 2025
“In Manchester, the ball talks. It doesn’t matter what month it is—April or November—so he has to play there too,” Gavaskar chuckled. Pujara chimed in with a smile, saying, “You are the only one who can convince him.” Sanjana, caught off guard by the friendly ambush, laughed and said, “I don’t have to do anything.” Gavaskar added, “Jasprit, we need you. Please play all five.”
Jasprit Bumrah keeping the batters and us guessing 😫#SonySportsNetwork #GroundTumharaJeetHamari #ENGvIND #NayaIndia #DhaakadIndia #TeamIndia | @Jaspritbumrah93 @SanjanaGanesan pic.twitter.com/lIKggth6qg
— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) June 23, 2025
Later, when asked about the conversation, Bumrah acknowledged it with a grin, saying, “That’s a discussion for another day.”
However, according to head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar, Bumrah is currently cleared to play only three of the five Tests due to lingering concerns over a back injury sustained during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which also ruled him out of the Champions Trophy.
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England posted 465 in their first innings, thanks to Ollie Pope’s 106 and Harry Brook’s 99. Despite dropped catches from Jaiswal and Jadeja, Bumrah stood out. Prasidh Krishna (3/128) and Siraj (2/122) struggled with control and consistency. At stumps on Day 3, India were 90/2 in their second innings, with KL Rahul (47*) and Shubman Gill (6*) at the crease.
