File photo of Travis Head (left) and Jasprit Bumrah.© AFP
While India faltered against Australia in the second Test of the five-match series, Japsrit Bumrah continued to live up to the expectations. The right-arm pacer picked four wickets in Australia’s first innings against India in the day-night Test in Adelaide. This came after Bumrah had bagged the Player of the Match award in the first game in Perth with 8 wickets to his name, including a five-wicket haul in the first innings. Given the amount of importance Bumrah holds, it is hard for India to rest the pacer during the ongoing Test series against Australia. However, along with that Bumrah’s workload management also needs to be considered.
Such a dilemma must be there in the mind of the team management. When asked the same thing, former India player Sanjay Manjrekar said that Bumrah should be played in all five Tests against Australia and that he could be rested in any of those bilaterals that hold less importance.
“I play him every Test match purely because Indian cricket takes care of Bumrah. And I’ve said this before as well, the number is etched in my head. 34% of international matches that India have played in the last three years is what Bumrah has played. Only 34% of what Indian cricket has played. So he’s well rested. And this is when you need, because these are the series that will be remembered forever,” Manjrekar told ESPNCricinfo.
“Give him a break in one of those bilaterals that we forget 48 hours later,” he added.
Notably, the ongoing Australia tour is extremely big for the Indian cricket team as it will have a big say in its World Test Championship final hopes.
If India manage to win the Test series against Australia 4-1, they will book a WTC final berth for themselves. The series is currently tied at 1-1. If India lose another Test match against the hosts, their qualification will completely depend on the results in the Sri Lanka vs Australia series.
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