Jasprit Bumrah has flipped the switch at just the right moment for India. The pacer is bowling full tilt in training and has posted red-ball drills on social media, sharpening up ahead of the three-match ODI series against England beginning on July 14. It doubles as his return to ODIs after 968 days.
The visual of Bumrah humming in practice is timely for India. Rested for the T20Is against Ireland and England and excused from the one-off Afghanistan Test that was outside the World Test Championship cycle, he now carries the tempo of his white-ball dominance into a crucial stretch across formats.
From nightmare IPL to defining World Cup spells
By his lofty standards, the 2026 IPL was brutal. Representing Mumbai Indians, Bumrah collected just four wickets in 13 matches at an average of 102.50 and an economy rate of 8.36, with best figures of 1/15. It was statistically his worst IPL season.
Yet the same arm turned India’s ICC T20 World Cup campaign into a title run. He finished as the joint-highest wicket-taker with 14 wickets in eight innings at an average of 12.42 and an economy rate of 6.21. His 4/15 in the final against New Zealand secured Player of the Match.
Why England ODIs change the conversation
Bumrah’s selection for England marks his first ODI appearance since the ODI World Cup final against Australia on November 19, 2023. The 968-day gap underscores how carefully India have managed his workload across formats to keep him fresh for decisive assignments.
He has also been named in India’s squad for the Asian Games, which start from September 19. The plan is clear: bank his match-winning knack in high-stakes games, with limited-overs rhythm feeding into the longer format when it matters most.
Form, fitness and red-ball rhythm
The red-ball sessions point directly to India’s next Test priorities. As announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India on Thursday, India play Sri Lanka in a two-match Test series from August 15 to 27, with Galle hosting the opener and the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo staging the second from August 23.
Then comes a demanding away leg. From November 19 onwards, India contest two Tests against New Zealand at Wellington and Christchurch. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home from January 21 to March 3, a five-match series, completes India’s final assignment of the WTC 2025-27 cycle.
India’s WTC journey so far has been uneven, featuring a 2-2 series draw in England, a 2-0 win at home against West Indies and a 0-2 home whitewash by South Africa. A fully firing Bumrah could tilt tight sessions and revive momentum.
What it means for India
For Rohit Sharma’s side, Bumrah’s return is not just about wickets. It is about control at the start, menace in the middle overs and ice-cool precision at the death. The ODI comeback offers a proving ground to lock in lengths, pace and tactical variations ahead of the Test push.
Here are the key developments fans should track next:
– England ODIs begin on July 14
– ODI return after a 968-day gap
– Asian Games squad from September 19
– Sri Lanka Tests from August 15 to 27
– New Zealand Tests from November 19 onwards
– Border-Gavaskar Trophy from January 21 to March 3
The road ahead
The immediate test is England in the 50-over format, a series that can harden match fitness and rebuild ODI rhythm. For Bumrah, it is a clean slate after the IPL, and a chance to extend the swagger from the T20 World Cup onto a different canvas.
If the training clips are a hint, the action next is even more promising. For India, a peak Bumrah before Sri Lanka, New Zealand and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy could be the difference between an uneven WTC story and a campaign back on track.
