Veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has expressed concern about the future of the bowling attack of the Indian national cricket team. Ashwin highlighted the huge void that could emerge if Jasprit Bumrah decides to retire, and questioned who will lead the bowling unit in an era dominated by batsmen.
Bumrah was last seen in action during the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 final, where the Men in Blue defeated New Zealand by 96 runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 8. The right-arm fast bowler won the Player of the Match award after bowling exceptional figures of 4/15 in his four overs.
What will happen after Jasprit Bumrah? Ravichandran Ashwin expressed concern over the bowling of the next generation.
Speaking to RevSportz, Ravichandran Ashwin predicted that India will win many trophies in the next decade. However, the off-spinner said that there is no replacement for Jasprit Bumrah in the bowling department.
“The pedigree of white-ball batsmen we have is something else. I have no doubt that India will win many white-ball trophies in the next decade. It will be because of our batting. What happens after Bumrah? He is a defining figure in this white-ball team,” Ashwin said. At the Trailblazers Conclave event.
I am worried that bowling is not as attractive as batting – Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin also expressed concern over the declining appeal of bowling and said that batting dominates entertainment. The Tamil Nadu-born cricketer warned that fewer youngsters may choose bowling.
He said, “I am worried that bowling is not as attractive as batting and children perhaps do not take up the game for these reasons. When I say game, I think bowling and batting are different games. Bowling as a game is not attractive enough. It is as if you are entertaining people, giving sixes. So, who would really want to think that bowling will enable us to win tournaments or series.”
Jasprit Bumrah remains irreplaceable despite emerging Indian bowling talent
While emerging Indian bowlers like Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh and Auqib Nabi provide hope for the future, Jasprit Bumrah remains unmatched. The right-arm fast bowler has taken over 500 wickets for the national team since his debut in 2016.
Bumrah finished as the joint-highest wicket-taker with Varun Chakravarthy in the T20 World Cup 2026. The 32-year-old took 14 wickets in eight matches at an impressive economy rate of 6.21.
Bumrah will return to action for Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League 2026 season. The tournament will begin on March 28, with Mumbai Indians set to begin their campaign against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on March 29 at the Wankhede Stadium.
Meanwhile, Bumrah is the all-time leading wicket-taker for Mumbai Indians in IPL history. He has taken 183 wickets in 145 matches at an average of 22.02, strike rate of 18.2 and economy of 7.24, including two five-wicket hauls, with his best performance being 5/10.
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