Former Pakistan pacer Umar Gul has praised the way the Indian cricket team think tank has handled a talent like Jasprit Bumrah while talking about why Pakistan cricket culture does not allow a rotation policy that India can afford to implement.
Ahead of the Asia Cup clash between India and Pakistan on Sunday, Gul was asked about India’s rotation policy and how they had handled Bumrah’s career to maximise his devastating potential. Gul was specifically asked about workload management and how sometimes when players, particularly bowlers, pick up injuries they return with a few klicks less on the pace gun. But Bumrah was still managing to whip up the same speeds as before.
At this, Gul pointed out that the system in Pakistan cricket was such that it would breed insecurity among established players, which even forced them to play games when they were not fully fit.
“Unfortunately, in our (Pakistan cricket’s) system, in our culture, the problem is that when we also used to play, any senior player was hesitant. If he’s even 70-80% fit, he would say, ‘I want to play’. This was because if another player comes in and performs, then a rotation policy is not in our culture. We only look at the performance: this new guy has performed, so bring him in and let him play. So, I think this trust should be developed (in Pakistan cricket culture) and the rotation policy should be there. Your priority should be the senior player when he gets fit, you should play him,” Gul said on Game On Hai, a talk show on Pakistani public broadcast service PTV.
Gul then praised the Indian system for being streamlined to manage tricky injuries to frontline players.
“Players also have a responsibility, so does the management, even your trainers and your medical staff. Both sides have a responsibility (when it comes to injuries and rehab). I’ll say the player’s responsibility is because if a player is injured, he himself knows the most about how he is feeling from the inside. What caused the injury? The doctor will tell you and will inform you that you should rest for two weeks, or five weeks. But the players themselves know from the inside how much rest they need and when they are ready. The rehab for players is very important. I think we (Pakistan) have some players who, after their injury, their rehab was not perfect, so their pace which gets lost or goes down a little, the rehab has a big role in that as well. So, I think India have a system. The rehab that the doctor tells you to do for six or five weeks, it means they are giving you an extra week so that you have a complete recovery. Plus, the most important thing is the rotation policy, right? Or we say that Bumrah is rested and is only played in World Cup or ICC events. So, the confidence that our premium bowler will be the first priority when he comes back after being fit,” Gul added.
