Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has questioned the decision of Indian team management to rest ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah for the penultimate Test against England in Ranchi.
Bumrah was rested for the fourth Test as part of the workload management. The right-arm quick had bowled close to 81 overs combined in the first three Tests in Hyderabad, Vizag and Rajkot.
However, Gavaskar felt Bumrah should have played in Ranchi as the series was still on line. He also mentioned that there was an extended break between the second and third Test while Bumrah bowled only 23 overs across the two innings in Rajkot.
“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,” Gavaskar wrote in his column for Mid Day.
“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? After the fourth Test there was going to be another eight-days break before the final Test match; enough time for supremely fit athletes to recover and be ready to play for the country,” he added.
In Bumrah’s absence, Bengal pacer Akash Deep made his Test debut in Ranchi and impressed one and all with his performance.
Akash demolished the English top order in the first innings to return with three wickets while he was not used by skipper Rohit Sharma in the second essay.
With his stunning display in the fourth Test, Akash Deep also left a lasting impression on Sunil Gavaskar.
“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. That young Akash Deep bowled splendidly to offset Bumrah’s absence, once again showed that it doesn’t matter if the big names don’t play there will always be young guns who would be only too happy and as the skipper Rohit Sharma said, be hungry to play for India and to bear any hardship for the honour and privilege of playing for your country,” Gavaskar remarked.
Despite missing the services of several first-choice players, Team India registered a hard-fought five-wicket victory over England to take an unbeatable 3-1 lead in the five-match series.
The dead-rubber fifth Test is slated to be held in Dharamsala from March 7. Bumrah has joined the Indian team for the series finale.
