A lot of criticism has been levied against Jasprit Bumrah after he openly stated that he’ll feature in just three India vs England Test series, a few days prior to its commencement. Former coaches and cricketers weren’t happy with this ‘workload management excuse,’ claiming that if selected, one has to play each game and bowl as many overs as the team warrants.
But it isn’t that easy. Without a shadow of a doubt, Bumrah is the best bowler in the world. He isn’t a regular stock bowler but a weapon, and the pacer needs to be used as such. How will it help if Bumrah’s out injured or isn’t bowling with the same venom?
India’s former strength and conditioning coach, Soham Desai, has given his two bits on how to manage Bumrah’s fitness and how exactly Team India should use him. Having worked with Bumrah since 2014, Soham knows how he operates. Furthermore, he spent almost 5 years working up close with not just Bumrah but the entire Indian team.
How to handle Jasprit Bumrah’s fitness
As it happened during his tenure, Sohan thinks the approach when it comes to Bumrah would be a long-term one. You can’t risk losing him for short-term glory. His suggestion means that, by not risking him for remainder of the India vs England Test series given in the next two years, India can vie for 3 ICC titles.
“I have been with him since 2014, when he was on RTP (return to play) from his ACL injury, from his Gujarat Ranji Trophy days. He is special, a gifted guy who has worked immensely to become one of a kind. To manage guys like him, we need a cohesive, collective, and collaborative approach with a long-term vision driving the decisions and ideally with great consistency in personnel around him,” Soham told the Indian Express.
He cites the example of Pat Cummins, perhaps the second-best fast bowler in Test cricket after Bumrah. Cummins didn’t play for Australia for almost 6 years due to injuries and wasn’t rushed to come back. Since then, he’s been injury-free for the most part and led them exceptionally well.
“The All Blacks, the famous rugby team of New Zealand, had only one S&C for more than a decade, and he oversees the prep for the guys even when they go to their states. One guy, one team, one approach, one vision working through the years. A similar thing happened with Pat Cummins. He faced several setbacks at the start of his career. Then he was pulled back and one set of professionals worked on him for 2-4 seasons,” the former Indian coach added.
Using Bumrah like a special weapon
Sohan suggests that the BCCI assign a small team for Bumrah who will oversee his fitness. As for how Indian management should use Bumrah, he suggests using him to perform surgical strikes against the top opposition just a few times. Considering the T20 World Cup is just 6 months away, this might be the time to rest Bumrah for longer periods of time.
“Bumrah is an asset and needs to be handled smartly. A small team needs to handle him, prepare him for surgical strikes a few times a year, and be smart around him at other times,” Soham concluded.
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