Shane Bond on Jasprit Bumrah's Unique Action, Injury Risks & Workload Management Ahead of IPL 2025 & England Test Series

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As the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season unfolds, discussions around player fitness and injury management continue to dominate cricketing circles.

One of the most insightful voices on the subject is former New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond, now the bowling coach for Rajasthan Royals. Having endured a stop-start international career due to persistent injuries, Bond has an in-depth understanding of the physical toll that fast bowling takes on the body.

Bond, who previously worked with Jasprit Bumrah at Mumbai Indians, recently spoke about the biomechanics of Bumrah's unique bowling action, the stress it places on his body, and the broader challenges associated with managing bowling workloads. Speaking during the Champions Trophy, Bond provided key insights into the mechanics of Bumrah's action and the importance of workload management for elite fast bowlers.

The Unique Biomechanics of Bumrah's Action

According to Bond, Bumrah's action stands out because of its distinctive elements. "His run-up's an interesting one, isn't it? Because he sort of [starts in] fits and starts, but the last five metres, he accelerates through the crease, gains momentum," he explained. "Obviously, he's got those levers [long arms]. He has a very short delivery stride, so he gets his front foot down quickly, which means he has to then, all of a sudden, catch up with his arms. So he generates velocity through his arm speed, [and has] got a very strong locked front knee to increase that pace. And then he has an exceptional wrist on the back of it."

Bond compared Bumrah's kinetic chain to that of Hardik Pandya, highlighting how their ability to generate power stems from the perfect timing of energy release. "It's just one of those ones where the timing of when he releases everything is almost perfect," he noted.

The Stress of a Braced Front Knee

A major discussion point surrounding Bumrah's injuries has been the stress on his back due to his bowling action. Bond explained, "The force will go up the chain: through the calf, the hamstring, the glutes and the back. And so if you are not strong in those areas, the force will end up in the back at some point." He cited examples of bowlers like Jacob Oram, Kyle Mills, and Chris Cairns, who had different structural stresses due to their front knee collapsing slightly during delivery.

Bond emphasised the importance of strength and conditioning in injury prevention. "If you go to the gym and want to do ten sets of ten and do that day after day after day after day without resting, you will probably break something. And it's very similar in bowling."

Managing Workloads to Prevent Stress Fractures

Stress fractures have long been the bane of fast bowlers, and Bond broke down their causes in detail. "Every time you bowl, you cause a little bit of damage in the bone, it breaks up a little bit, and if you give it a rest, it'll harden. And if you do that over a period of time, that bone in your back will firm up and become quite strong. Now that's called chronic load," he explained. However, if the workload is too high too soon, the bones may crack, leading to stress fractures.

Bond cited examples of bowlers like Trent Boult and Bumrah, who suffered injuries when transitioning from T20 cricket to Test cricket without adequate workload preparation. "First time he [Bumrah] had a stress fracture [2019], he came out of IPL and played Test cricket. So you are bowling 20 overs a week and all of a sudden you bowl 50 overs a week - stress fracture. Trent Boult was the same."

The Psychological Challenge of Injury Comebacks

Having undergone back surgery himself, Bond understands the mental hurdles that come with returning from a major injury. "Psychologically, it's a challenge. I still had times when I played with my back really locked up, my muscles down my back would spasm. I called it a concrete back - I couldn't move," he recalled. Despite these struggles, Bond continued playing and believes that careful planning and workload management are key to longevity.

One of the key points Bond emphasised was the need for players to take their time with recovery. "I always tell my players, take a week at the front end and that could save you six months at the back end. Spend a little bit longer in your preparation and your build-up because it will give you a better chance to stay on the field."

The Role of Coaches in Injury Management

Bond strongly believes that players should not be the ones making decisions about their fitness for upcoming matches. "See, I would always go, no it's not [the bowler's call]. Because my experience with any player is, they will tell you that they are okay and that's always the risk. If you give any player the option, it's like, nah, I'm good to go. And I have seen players who want to play and they are injured and they will tell you they want to play and actually they have played probably sub-par, they are not really ready."

This is where the role of coaching staff becomes crucial in ensuring players do not rush their comebacks. Bond noted that managing workloads is easier when a team is winning, but difficult when a team is losing. "That's the coach's role, to say, look, this is the plan for you. And it's easy to have that plan when you are winning. When you are losing, it becomes, oh, are we going to throw that [away]?"

The Road Ahead for Bumrah and India's Bowling Attack

India's upcoming five-Test series in England presents another major challenge for their bowling unit. Bond warned against overburdening Bumrah, stating, "And I suppose the lesson is, you can't have him bowl that many overs again in a Test match. Forty-five might be the top, and we can't risk it because he's too valuable."

Bond acknowledged that Bumrah's action cannot be changed, but India must manage his workload carefully to prevent further injuries. "At the end of the day, he just bowled too much over a one-month period. And it hasn't cracked, he hasn't got a fracture, he is on the borderline of a fracture. But what India would have learned is, if you then look at a five-Test match series in England and they do the same thing, they are probably going to get the same result."

Shane Bond's experience as both a player and a coach offers invaluable insights into the challenges faced by fast bowlers. His perspective on Jasprit Bumrah's injuries highlights the delicate balance between workload, recovery, and performance. As IPL 2025 progresses and the cricketing calendar becomes increasingly packed, teams must prioritise player fitness to ensure their key assets remain available for the biggest challenges ahead.

With the T20 World Cup and other major tournaments on the horizon, the management of bowlers like Bumrah will be crucial. As Bond succinctly put it, "You are not going to avoid an injury, you are just trying to avoid the really bad ones, and I'm hoping Bumrah can avoid another one of these."