Overview:
Despite the extended break between the third and fourth Tests, Bumrah has faced challenges with his performance in the first innings of the ongoing match against England in Manchester.
Sanjay Manjrekar has expressed worries about how India’s premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah‘s workload is being managed, urging the team management to treat him with utmost caution. He believes that Bumrah should be treated as if he has already played 100 Tests in his career.
Bumrah’s workload has been a subject of discussions, especially after the conclusion of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Before the current England tour, the Indian team management confirmed that the 31-year-old would play just three out of the five Tests in the series.
Despite the extended break between the third and fourth Tests, Bumrah has faced challenges with his performance in the first innings of the ongoing match against England in Manchester. In a conversation with ESPNcricinfo, Manjrekar recognised the evident fitness concerns about Bumrah. Nevertheless, he commended Bumrah’s exceptional talent, stating that a player like him requires delicate management to achieve peak performance.
“We observed this from the start of the series. He began strongly at Headingley, delivering a solid performance in the first innings. However, he was not impactful in the second innings. His pace dropped and he was rested from the second Test,” Manjrekar said.
“Right from the start of his career, we’re facing a situation where you have a brilliant bowler, but you need to manage him as he’s already played 100 Test matches. It’s unfortunate that we’re in this position, but it’s a topic that will always be discussed because it has come early in his career. This is the reality, but even when Bumrah is bowling at 130 kph, he will still be your top seam bowler,” he added.
Bumrah took five wickets in the first innings at Leeds, repeating the feat at Lord’s. He bowled 28 overs and conceded 95 runs, laced with one wicket in the first innings of the fourth Test.
