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Sandeep Patil’s comments on Jasprit Bumrah have been much debated on social media. A caveat is important here. Sandy Bhai is a good friend and someone I much respect for his achievements. But on this issue, I have to say I differ with him, and do so completely.
The first reference point for me is Jofra Archer. Archer played two Tests in the series and was rested for The Oval. England managed his workload post-Manchester. Of the two Tests he played, he helped England win at Lord’s. In fact, in the second innings at Lord’s, he was almost unplayable and accounted for Rishabh Pant and Washington Sundar on the final day. If Archer could be rested for The Oval, why not Bumrah? The truth is no one has spoken much about Archer. It is simply assumed that Bumrah must play everything.
The other argument concerns why Bumrah played the IPL. For the sake of debate, let’s assume he didn’t. And he rested for two months. Would that guarantee Bumrah playing five Test matches? Isn’t it plain ridiculous to assume that? The moment he bowls 40 overs in a Test, workload management comes into play. In Leeds, his pace was over 140 kmph for at least 30 percent of the deliveries. It fell to around 135 by Manchester. If IPL was the issue, he’d never have bowled 140-plus in Leeds. So, to blame the IPL is to miss the point completely.
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Someone who played a part in making Bumrah what he is said it well. “Bumrah, unlike others, doesn’t get much from his action,” he said, on condition of anonymity. “In the case of Jofra, for example, his action is smooth and it helps him generate 50 percent of the pace. I’d say the same for most other bowlers. For Bumrah, it is different. It is all in the last second. The way he delivers the ball, the pressure he puts on the body, the effort on his back, everything makes him the bowler he is and that’s exactly why he needs to be protected. He is now 30-plus and isn’t getting any younger. He is like a fixed deposit. You live off the interest. You try and break the entire fixed deposit today, and you will be left with nothing in the future.”
Bumrah needs to be managed well, and it is entirely the call of the BCCI and the team management how they intend to use him. Bumrah isn’t picking the matches he plays. He had informed the BCCI, based on medical advice, that he could play three Tests. Thereafter, it was for the management to decide whether or not they wanted him in the team. They did, and he did what was asked of him. So to say he is picking and choosing is to give him greater agency than he actually has.
While Patil is indeed entitled to his opinion, the truth is there are others as well. Bumrah remains India’s go-to bowler and still has much cricket left. It is for us to decide whether we want to make the best use of him or not.
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