'Sometimes convey same message and get dropped': Rahane praises Bumrah's communication regarding workload management

Bumrah played three out of five Tests on the tour of England.

Jasprit Bumrah’s workload management during the recently held Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy was a major topic of debate. The Indian team management had confirmed before the England tour that star quick would only participate in three of the five Tests.

The No.1-ranked Test bowler turned up in the first, third and fourth games and was rested for the second Test, which India won by 336 runs at Edgbaston.

Despite India being down 1-2, Bumrah didn’t feature in the series-decider at The Oval, where the visitors emerged victorious by a narrow margin of six runs to level the series 2-2.

Days after the end of the series, veteran batter Ajinkya Rahane praised Bumrah's transparent communication regarding his workload management for the England series.

“What I liked about the Bumrah situation was that he was pretty clear; he knew what he wanted to do before the series. He said, ‘I'll play the first one, I won't play the second one, and then I'll play the third'. Great clarity for a captain. It shows that he has the courage to tell the captain and management to be really clear,” Rahane said on his YouTube channel.

“It also shows that he is keeping the team ahead of himself. Sometimes it is not easy to do so when you are playing for India. Sometimes players convey the same message to the team, and then they get dropped,” Rahane added.

Ahead of the England tour, Bumrah revealed that he himself requested the BCCI not to consider him for Test captaincy after Rohit Sharma's retirement, as he would not be able to play all five Tests due to workload management.

Rahane also advised Gambhir, Gill, and chief selector Ajit Agarkar on how to manage Bumrah's workload if they want him available for the entire series.

“Because of his unique action, there is a lot of load on his body. If you want Bumrah to play all five Tests, then use him in smaller spells like three or four overs,” he remarked.

Rahane believes Bumrah's presence unsettles England's aggressive “Bazball” style. “I think England were wary of Bumrah when he was playing; ‘Bazball' didn't come out to the full extent. When Bumrah wasn't there, they played a little freely. It is important to use him properly; you have to give him the luxury to get the best out of him,” Rahane said.