There is a quiet tension to Jasprit Bumrah at the top of his mark. Not calm in the traditional sense, but a held breath. Elbows slightly cocked, fingers wrapped around the ball with intent. It is not merely a bowler preparing to deliver, but the culmination of years of repetition, method, and managing discomfort. A body trained and trusted to do extraordinary things.

That he has done so, and done so unfailingly, is no longer in dispute. The question now is more unsettling: how much longer can this last? And should it?

At 31, Bumrah is not old by fast-bowling standards. But his back, that most capricious of allies, has already raised alarms. On the previous tour of Australia, he bowled more overs than ever before in a single series: 151.2 in all, every one drawn from reserves close to exhaustion. In Sydney, where he led India in Rohit Sharma’s absence, he walked off on the second day after just one post-lunch over, his pace down to the mid-120s.

And the toll is not his alone.

This series in England has unfolded at a punishing pace. Across four Tests, 1,566.3 overs have been bowled. That is the most after four matches of any series in England, and the third-highest globally since 2002. Over 70 per cent of these have come from fast bowlers. This is not just workload. It is erosion dressed up as routine.

Since returning from back surgery in 2023, Bumrah has played 18 Tests. That is more than any Indian fast bowler, barring one: Mohammed Siraj. His 513.2 overs trail only Siraj’s 581.4. These are not the figures of a bowler being eased back. They reflect a leader still indispensable. When a minor setback arrived earlier this year, it felt less like a surprise and more like a delayed inevitability.

At Old Trafford, he bowled 33 overs in the first innings, the most in his career, and conceded over 100 runs for the first time. He did not bowl again. With 14 wickets in the series, he remains joint-second on the list alongside Siraj. He has bowled 119.4 overs so far, compared to Siraj’s 139. But at the Oval, on the greenest pitch of the series, with live grass and overcast skies, Bumrah was rested.

This was not sentiment. It was part of the plan.

From the outset, Bumrah was not expected to play all five Tests. He was to be managed, not drained. Headingley and Old Trafford, yes. Edgbaston and The Oval, no. This is not a slow fade. It is strategic conservation. His absence does not diminish his value. It underlines it.

Of his 48 Tests, 35 have come away from home. In those, he averages just over 20, with the control of a spinner and the menace of a new-ball quick. These are numbers shaped by clarity of thought and rare skill.

Still, it is reasonable to ask what comes after.

Since Bumrah’s debut in 2018, only four Indian quicks have played more than 20 Tests. Three of them — Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar — seem to be no longer in the frame. Only Siraj has offered sustained support. Beyond that, the bench lacks clarity. Akash Deep shows promise. Prasidh Krishna has had his moments. But the pace pipeline looks hesitant. Too many bowlers have flickered and faded. Too many decisions have been made in haste.

Even the domestic circuit, once a stronghold for emerging quicks, now paints a quieter picture. The top five pace wicket-takers across the last two Ranji Trophy seasons — Gaurav Yadav, V. Koushik, Mohit Avasthi, Ravi Kiran, Deepak Dhapola — remain peripheral in selection conversations. Instead, the churn continues to recycle known names: Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar, Avesh Khan. Capable, yes. Convincing? Not yet.

The assumption of a seamless post-Bumrah transition rests on the idea of a fast-bowling assembly line. But this is not manufacturing. It is alchemy. And right now, no one in Indian cricket bends the elements quite like him.

Recognising this, the selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar introduced fast-bowling contracts last year for five players: Akash, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Umran Malik, Yash Dayal, and Vidwath Kaverappa. Mayank Yadav was added soon after. But both Mayank and Malik have been plagued by injuries of late, missing a significant part of last season — a reminder that raw pace alone is no guarantee of longevity. The move to offer contracts is rooted in intent, but intent must be matched by investment and patience. Talent identification alone will not be enough. India needs a system that nurtures, not just notices.

Judgement will be needed. There is an ODI World Cup ahead. The new World Test Championship cycle has begun. Fixtures against West Indies, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka provide room for rotation. But sterner tests loom. South Africa at home. A tour of New Zealand. A five-match home series against Australia. These will demand not just depth, but decisiveness.

The selectors must choose their battles. And Bumrah must still be there to fight the decisive ones.