Former India cricket Aakash Chopra stated that there is no need for team management to rest Jasprit Bumrah for the second Test against New Zealand that begins on October 24, in Pune. India trails the three-Test series 0-1 after losing the first match in Bengaluru.
Aakash Chopra believes the decision should be left to Bumrah, rather than resting him for workload management ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy versus Australia, which begins on November 22.
Chopra emphasized that resting Bumrah to safeguard him for future bouts was not a sensible decision. He emphasized that Bumrah, as a major player, knows his body well and should be trusted to make the decision.
The former cricketer also stated that India should concentrate on the current series, particularly after their crushing defeat in the Bengaluru Test.
"There's still a lot of time for the Australia Test. This Test (against New Zealand) will be over by 5th November, and they will play 4 T2oIs which he will not play. It's not like we are playing a Test every week. I think the choice should be left to him. If he is feeling 100%, and he wants to play, there is no point in telling him not to because of certain injury management protocols," Chopra told India Today.
"All said and done, ever since we have seen this workload management issue come up, it's not like bowlers have not been injured that often...so I would leave it to Bumrah. Would have been different if it was someone else but with Bumrah, it should be left to him," Chopra added.
India's batters struggled in the first innings, being knocked for 46, their lowest-ever home Test total, but they recovered in the second innings thanks to good performances from Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Sarfaraz Khan, and Rishabh Pant.
However, the bowlers were unable to repeat their typical ferocity, with Bumrah taking only three wickets in the entire encounter. India's spinners too failed to make an impression.
Despite a quiet effort in Bengaluru, Bumrah is India's most consistent bowler. Chopra claimed that resting him, especially after just one match, may not be the wisest strategy as India seeks to even the series in the second Test.
