India cricketing legend Sunil Gavaskar has claimed resting Jasprit Bumrah wasn’t India’s immediate interest. The ace pacer was rested for the IND vs ENG Ranchi Test. But now in pacy conditions, it is expected that Bumrah will spearhead India’s attack in Dharamshala.
In the IND vs ENG 3rd Test in Rajkot, Bumrah didn’t bowl enough. But surprisingly he was rested for the 4th Test which was extremely crucial. India needed to win the match to seal the series. The hosts however, achieved their result sans Bumrah with a resounding victory.
“Despite bowling just 15 overs in the first innings and then eight overs in the second innings of the third Test at Rajkot, Bumrah was rested for Ranchi presumably on the trainer’s recommendation. Don’t forget there was a nine-day break between the second Test and third Test match and then bowling 23 overs in the entire game is not tiring at all, so why was Bumrah rested?,” Gavaskar wrote in The Midday.
The former batting great questioned Bumrah’s rest. He claimed that there was ample time for rest for the Indian vice captain. He claimed presumably, Bumrah was rested owing to his trainer’s recommendation. However, he will be back in action owing to Dharamshala’s conditions.
“After the fourth Test there was going to be another eight-day break before the final Test match; enough time for supremely fit athletes to recover and be ready to play for the country. The fourth Test also was a crucial game as, if England had won that, the final Test would have been the decider. So, whether it was the NCA or Bumrah who took the call, it wasn’t in the Indian team’s immediate interest,” Gavaskar concluded.