India, Aug. 8 -- In modern Indian cricket, few careers have evolved under as much scrutiny as Jasprit Bumrah's. From the moment he broke through with his unorthodox action and explosive pace, he's attracted attention, admiration, and increasingly, expectation. Over the years, Bumrah has shaped himself into India's premier fast bowler across formats; a leader with the ball, a match-winner home and away, and one of the most respected cricketers in the international circuit.

But recent weeks have seen an unusual public turn. During the England Test series earlier this year, Bumrah missed two of the five matches, part of a workload management strategy discussed well in advance, and both matches ended in Indian wins. That led to a wave of que...