There is hard talk flowing about Jasprit Bumrah not playing the entire series , amidst the euphoria of the Indian cricket team’s remarkable win over England in the recent Oval Test, where the inaugural Anderson-Tendulkar series ended 2-2, . That Jasprit Bumrah would not be part of all five Test matches was known before the first ball of the opening Test at Leeds was bowled.
Eyebrows were raised initially, but it didn’t take time for rage to set in when Jasprit Bumrah didn’t play the second Test at Birmingham, where India needed him to neutralise England’s series lead. Luckily for the visitors, a historic victory was achieved in Birmingham — their first at the venue in India vs England rivalry. Jasprit Bumrah played the third Test at Lord’s, but his seven scalps in the Test went in vain.
The fourth Test was drawn at Manchester, where Jasprit Bumrah played. Hopes were raised that the world’s most feared fast bowler would figure in the series-decider at the Oval, but he didn’t.
Critics refused to belt up, even as some allowances should be made for the danger of breaking down, which could lead to greater harm to our fast bowling treasure’s body. India got lucky again as others in the Mohammed Siraj-led bowling attack stepped up to guide India to a famous win on Monday. Amidst the heartburn over Jasprit Bumrah, it was the best possible end for India.
Jasprit Bumrah has played 48 Tests for India. How do you put that number in context. After all, 48 Tests isn’t a huge number. On the other hand, for a bowler like Jasprit Bumrah, 48 isn’t that small a number either. Fast bowling is the most physically demanding of all disciplines in cricket. Your joints, muscles, bones and tissues go through immense stresses when delivering the ball.
It is an explosion of violence in a few seconds – which you then have to repeat continuously. That is why fast bowlers are the most injured lot in cricket. And that’s just for the pacers with ‘normal’ or smooth bowling actions. For Jasprit Bumrah, that is amped up even more because his particular action puts even more load on his back.
Considering that, it’s actually quite remarkable that Bumrah has played 48 Tests in seven and a half years. And that includes more than a year out due to injuries. As a comparison, Shoaib Akhtar played only 46 Tests in his entire career, over ten years. Akhtar was similarly explosive at the crease, and had to battle injuries throughout his career.
Moreover, Bumrah is a three-format player. And not just any three-format player but inarguably the best in the world, which means every team wants him in the playing XI as often as possible. Seen through that lens, Bumrah’s 48 Tests are actually quite sizeable. And it’s not as if he’ll stop at that number either.
In the England series, by a strange quirk of fate, India won the two Tests in which Bumrah was rested. Predictably, that meant people drew a correlation between these two events. It should be emphatically said therefore, that an Indian Test XI with Bumrah in it will always be better than one without him in it. India did win the two Tests he didn’t feature in, but that’s just how cricket goes sometimes: the conditions are different, other players’ form is different, there might be a dose of luck that wasn’t there.
Even in defeats, Jasprit Bumrah averages 26 with the ball, which is just astounding. He is better than the par figures in an Indian attack on every single metric across wins, draws or defeats. Looking at the batting is even more instructive. In Test match wins Bumrah has been a part of, India’s collective batting average has been 33.4. In defeats, that number plummets to 21.8. And in the handful of draws, it’s 43.0. The conclusion is inescapable: batting collapses have been a big part of India’s defeats.
Drawing these comparisons. Deep Dasgupta has slammed the team management for pre announcing that Jasprit Bumrah would be available for only 3 Test matches at England adding fuel tothe after series talks about workload management.
Deep Dasgupta questions team management for declaring Jasprit Bumrah’s availability
Former India wicketkeeper-batter Deep Dasgupta believes the side should have avoided making the announcement of Jasprit Bumrah’s availability to be limited to three Tests in the recent 2-2 drawn series in England.
“Well, I think India shouldn’t have announced the fact that he would be playing only three Test matches prior to departing for the series. I mean, you can always take a call on his availability as and when based on his physical situation and series scenario. But this thing of saying that he will be playing only three Test matches before the series has started, I think India could have avoided it”. Dasgupta said .
Though India’s approach to managing Bumrah is modelled around giving him adequate rest and playing him in crucial matches, Dasgupta wondered if such selective management is right.
“It depends on obviously him and the medical staff. But how I see it is, he’s the best bowler in the world across three formats. So, you want him for all the crucial games. But then once he’s available for the crucial ones, then I guess it can’t be at the start of a tournament, that I’m going to play only 40% or 60% of the games – that can’t happen.
“I mean, keep him ready for the crucial ones, and make sure he’s available for all games. Then obviously, if there are injuries, if the body has taken a toll and he’s not ready, that’s a different issue altogether. But this availability for 50%, 60%, and all, I think that needs to be looked into because he is by far the best bowler in the world right now,” he said.
Jasprit Bumrah played in the First, Third and Fourth Test in England claiming 14 wickets with 2 fifers at an average of 26.00. Sportspersons are expected to be like warriors because they are picked to represent the country and should never lose sight of the fact that they may have to conquer pain and other hurdles for the country’s flag to fly high.
Jasprit Bumrah has been the envy of world cricket. Some experts feel he is the greatest fast bowler to emerge from Indian shores. But the Bumrah issue has to be viewed in perspective. While he can’t be treated as a villain, he ought not to be given superhero status either. Mind you, he hasn’t played a significant role in critical final Tests of the Australia tour earlier this year and now, England.
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