South African legendary batter AB de Villiers was surprised by Jasprit Bumrah’s workload management and compared how Dale Steyn was rested for “lesser important” series to make him ready for the big Test series. Indian ace pacer will only be available for three Tests at the ongoing five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Test series against England.
India, having lost the first Test at Headingley in Leeds, will reportedly miss the services of Bumrah for the second Test, which is scheduled to be played from July 2 at Edgbaston in Birmingham.
“He (Bumrah) is probably the top bowler in the world in all formats right now. So, it’s very difficult to decide a way to rest him,” de Villiers said on his YouTube channel.
“But in my opinion, Test cricket is the ultimate form of the game. And this Test series probably would’ve been the one, in my opinion, to get him ready for all five Test matches,” he added.
“That’s what we used to do with Dale (Steyn). Rest him in lesser important T20 and ODI series and get him ready for the big Test series against Australia, England, and India away from home… New Zealand to a certain extent, depending on the rankings at that time,” de Villiers explained.
The former South African captain questioned India’s team management as to what led to the side taking such a call.
“So, I don’t know if it was mismanagement or perhaps because he recently got back from injury, sort of saw the IPL as the warmup phase. Maybe, went to the surgeon, who let him know, ‘You can’t play the five Test matches.’ So, I mean you got to respect that, and at the end of the day, it’s up to Team India to sort of manage him well,” he said.
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“It doesn’t get bigger than that, guys, except for maybe the WTC final,” added de Villiers.
Earlier, Bumrah clarified his availability in the series. “Before Rohit and Virat retired during the IPL, I had spoken to the BCCI. I had discussed my workload going forward in a five Test match series. I spoke to the surgeon, who told me to be smart about the workload,” he told Sky Sports.
“So I did speak to him and then we came to a conclusion that I have to be a little more smart. So then I called the BCCI and said I don’t want to be looked at for a leadership role. Because I won’t be able to play all matches in a five -match series. So yes, the BCCI was looking at me, but then I had to say no, because it’s not fair for the team as well as you know in a five-match series, three matches somebody else is leading, two matches, somebody else. It’s not fair on the team,” Bumrah explained.
