In the midst of criticism over Jasprit Bumrah‘s workload management, Indian veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar defended him. Bumrah was chastised by a number of fans and analysts for missing all five Test matches in the series against England.
India was behind 1-2 going into the last match, and Bumrah was rested despite playing in three games. According to Bhuvneshwar, Jasprit bowling action frequently results in injuries, therefore it makes sense that he doesn’t play every game right now given how much cricket he has played over the years.
It is difficult for anyone to maintain that given how long Bumrah has been playing and competing in all formats. Anyone could sustain injuries from Bumrah’s style of bowling action. He playing three of the five games didn’t bother me,” Bhuvneshwar stated, as reported by NDTV Sports.
Despite not playing every game in a series, Jasprit may still make an impact: Bhuvneshwar noted that his contributions support the selection committee’s choice.
During his three Anderson-Tendulkar encounters, Bumrah took 14 wickets, including two five-wicket hauls.
“The selectors realise he can still have a significant impact in those three games if they are at ease with his abilities. People don’t often realise how difficult it is to continue playing for so many years in different formats, thus it should be acceptable if a player doesn’t play all five games but makes a big contribution in three. Additionally, there is pressure. You must effectively manage a player if you want them to play for an extended period of time. Thus, I had no issues,” Bhuvneshwar stated.
Although Bumrah is anticipated to play for India in the 2025 Asia Cup, he will primarily be rested for the opening Test match against the West Indies in order to manage his workload.
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