New Delhi: Earmarked for three Tests on the England tour as per his workload management, India will face-off the hosts in the series deciding Test at The Oval sans Jasprit Bumrah. How strange it might sound that the BCCI has decided against keeping their precious asset for the most crucial moment in the series but it also showcases India cricket board’s unwavering approach on their best pacer’s workload which has visibly been steady.
As viewers and fans, it’s our right to ask the reasons behind keeping the ace pacer away from the most crucial game as the Oval Test’s outcome would lay a foundation for the new Indian team in the longest format but the topic enters the ‘debatable category’ when we realise that we aren’t aware of that much as the BCCI and other stakeholders, including Bumrah know. But shouldn’t the best have been kept for the most important?
No fatigue, still rested?
With the series still on the line, alive and kicking, everyone expected the 31-year-old star bowler to be a part of the fifth Test as there were almost no signs of fatigue on the face of Bumrah in the last match in Manchester. While he wasn’t as instrumental as he was in the first two Test matches, where he claimed a total of 12 wickets, but the pace spearhead still managed to scalp couple of wickets keeping his economy rate below 3.5 after bowling 33 overs.
The number of maidens bowler by Bumrah at Old Trafford, which were more than any other bowler, signify that ineffectiveness due to excess workload should have been a reason for the board to keep the ruthless pacer away as he showcased that he still had it in him. For a fast bowler who consistently bowls quick deliveries, exhaustion is something that comes along but should the BCCI have been a bit flexible than being overcautious?
If a 9-day break since the Lord’s Test wasn’t enough before entering the Manchester Test, then bowling in only one innings over 30 odd overs completes the debate. Since India didn’t take the ball in the hand for the second time at old Trafford, Bumrah got ample rest not taking to the field for almost two days while India batters fought the battle down there. Bumrah also avails the three-day break before the series finale which makes it a total of five.
In the 50-day tour, the fast bowler has just played for 15 days which clearly says that the rest has been enough and so has the overthinking about his workload also been.
BCCI’s overcautious approach fit for India?
For the 31-year-old, who’s pace seemed to have dropped a bit in the last Test match, is BCCI’s overcautious approach justified? Mohammed Siraj, who is of the same age as Bumrah, has not been troubled by workload even after bowling more overs in the ongoing series as compared to Bumrah. If we talk about numbers, Siraj has bowled 834 balls while Bumrah has bowled 718 that’s 20 overs more.
Additionally, Siraj has been more active than Bumrah on the field but still no question about his workload ever arises. So is Bumrah’s workload issue and injury-prone nature slowly becoming a shield for the star pacer who should give his blood and sweat and fight till his last breath, undeterred by what happens in the future?
And let’s not forget the English team, that has scores of pacers in the line up but none complains about his workload. Chris Woakes, who has been one of the most lethal and effective bowlers for England, has bowled over 1000 balls while Brydon Carse has over 900 balls while captain Ben Stokes has close to 850 result-oriented balls but their workload has never become the talk of the town.
Need of the hour or safeguarding for long-term?
Think of the present or delve into the future, what’s the best way out? When it comes to Bumrah’s exclusion from the final game, BCCI’s approach is evident. Rather than thinking about the need of the hour, they chose to protect the back of the injury-prone pacer and safeguard him for the long-term, which doesn’t have much concreate in the offing immediately.
India don’t play any Test matches in the near future before the Test series against South Africa in November which gives him ample time to rest. After India are done with the England tour early next week, they have more than a month before the Asia Cup begins in September, if a warm-up unimportant series probably against Sri Lanka is not planned in August.
If we think of India’s next big assignment, which should get them on tenterhooks, the Australia tour in October which comprises white-ball matches should be the biggest one, even bigger than the Asia Cup. But with the T20 World Cup scheduled to be held in March-April next year and keeping in mind Bumrah’s performance at the event last year where he was the highest wicket-taker, the BCCI doesn’t want to take any chances.
This makes Bumrah’s participation in the Asia Cup also important as the fast bowler will play anything that has T20 in it to be more than prepared for the marquee event scheduled in India and Sri Lanka in 2026.
While Bumrah’s exclusion gives the other bowlers a chance to prove themselves and removes the dependability on just a single person but the debate again revolves around the same topic that shouldn’t the best have been kept for the fifth and last?