The IND vs ENG Test series is long over, but now the big topic of debate is — Jasprit Bumrah’s workload management. While there are ex-players who have supported the Indian management in this decision of theirs, surprisingly, the numbers of those who don’t agree, are on the rise. One of the more prominent voices in the game, Sanjay Manjrekar, who was in England for the series, feels that ‘Indian cricket must not adjust for Jasprit Bumrah, he must’.
Jasprit Bumrah the Best, But More Needed
All this while realising what the pacer brings to the table. He is not only India’s best bowler by a mile, but also a wicket-taking option, that no one else is, in the country. But the travesty is, India lost with him, and won without him. In a column for the Hindustan Times, Manjrekar wrote, that “it was poetic justice that the two Tests India won were two matches Bumrah did not play.”
He further added, “This should embolden the Indian selectors to make some hard choices when it comes to big-name players. This series has been a great lesson to them and to us too, the two Tests victories India achieved did not feature Virat (Kohli), (Cheteshwar) Pujara, Rohit (Sharma), (Mohammed) Shami and Bumrah too! It reminded us of the eternal truth of sport and life, no one, however great, is indispensable. And this is how India must handle Bumrah.”
Should Not be Frontline Pick
The former batter went on to write, that Jasprit Bumrah should not be India’s frontline pick, if he cannot play consecutive matches. If Bumrah “cannot play more than two matches in a row or sometimes even more”, he should not be “frontline pick”. “Players who are match fit, eager, keen to play and perform should be picked any day for me over a highly skilled player. It will motivate such enthusiastic players even more.”
“Indian cricket must not adjust for Bumrah, Bumrah must. That is, if he wants to.”
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