Amid the Asia Cup 2025, former Pakistan pacer Umar Gul raised questions on the culture of Pakistan cricket while praising Indian cricket for rotating their players well and offering prime players to recover well from injury. 

During a recent talk show, the former cricketer claimed that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has lacked creating a secure environment so that every player can offer their hundred percent on the field. Gul said that in Pakistan cricket, even senior players have the fear of losing their place in the team if they want to skip a match because of injury or fitness reasons. Gul suggested PCB utilize rotation policy and workload management plans like BCCI to build trust among players. 

"Unfortunately, in our system, in our culture, the problem is that when we also used to play, any senior player was hesitant. If he’s even 70-80% fit, he would say, ‘I want to play.’ This was because if another player comes in and performs, then a rotation policy is not in our culture. We only look at the performance: this new guy has performed, so bring him in and let him play. So, I think this trust should be developed, and the rotation policy should be there. Your priority should be the senior player; when he gets fit, you should play him," the former Pakistan pacer said.

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The workload management of Jasprit Bumrah attracted both appraisal and criticism from cricket experts. For the Anderson-Tendulkar trophy against England, the team management of India utilizedBumrah only for three out of five matches. Prasidh Krishna and Akash Deep also participated in three matches each in the series. Only Mohammed Siraj, who is currently representing India in only the red-ball cricket, played all of the five matches. BCCI's intention was clear: keeping their prime assets fresh for upcoming important tournaments. Gul liked the concept very much.

Umar Gul suggested PCB to follow BCCI's footsteps 

"I think India has a system. The rehab that the doctor tells you to do for six or five weeks means they are giving you an extra week so that you have a complete recovery. Plus, the most important thing is the rotation policy, right? Or we say that Bumrah is rested and has only played in World Cup or ICC events. So, the confidence that our premium bowler will be the first priority when he comes back after being fit," he added. 

Gul's comments came ahead of Pakistan's first Asia Cup 2025 match against Oman on September 12. The team in green will face India on September 14. 

Umar Gul’s reputation as a white-ball specialist was forged during his career as a player, where he played a key role in Pakistan’s 2009 World T20 win and was a regular in the one-day team until 2012. Injuries, however, began to take their toll on the pacer, leading to his omission from the 2015 World Cup squad.

Umar Gul’s exclusion from the squad suggested that his career was on the decline. However, he made a comeback a year later and continued to play for Pakistan until 2016, retiring from all forms of cricket in 2020. During his playing career, Umar Gul turned out in 47 Tests, taking 163 wickets at an average of 34.06. He also featured in 130 ODIs, taking 179 wickets at an average of 29.34, and played 60 T20Is, taking 85 wickets at an average of 16.97.

Following his retirement, Umar Gul wasted no time getting into coaching, taking up the role of bowling coach for the Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) last season. He also had a brief stint as the bowling coach for the Afghanistan team in 2020 before parting ways with the team after their board decided to go with a local coach.

The pinpoint pacer, Umar Gul will help National team as Bowling Coach

Gul’s appointment as the bowling coach for Pakistan has generated considerable excitement among cricket fans in the country. Many believe that his vast experience and knowledge of the game will be invaluable to the current crop of fast bowlers in the national team. Gul’s reputation as a white-ball specialist also makes him an excellent choice for a team that is gearing up for the T20 World Cup later this year.

Despite Gul’s appointment, there has been no change in the positions of the batting coach and fielding coach for the national team, according to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chair Najam Sethi, who announced the news on Twitter. It remains to be seen whether this decision will have any impact on the team’s overall performance. Overall, Umar Gul’s appointment as the bowling coach for the Pakistan team is undoubtedly a significant development for the team ahead of the upcoming series. 

His vast experience and knowledge of the game are expected to be invaluable to the team, particularly the fast bowlers, and fans are eagerly waiting to see how he will contribute to the team’s performance. With the T20 World Cup looming, Gul’s appointment could prove to be a game-changer for the team’s chances of success.