Former Indian batsman Gautam Gambhir has said Jasprit Bumrah should be rested from the second Test so that he can be kept fresh for the third Test match against England which is a day-night Test match. Bumrah had a tough time bowling in the first Test match against Chennai on a placid Chennai track. He picked three wickets for 84 runs as England piled up a mammoth 578 in their first innings.
Meanwhile, talking to ESPN Cricinfo, that the Indian team management should be wise enough to understand Jasprit Bumrah’s workload. India have the likes of Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur in the squad for the first two Test and Gambhir said one of them can be used.
“Jasprit Bumrah you can’t just keep bowling for longer sessions. Give him that short burst of three overs to try and pick a quick wicket, but not long spells because Bumrah is going to be very important going forward in the series. And if something happens to him, India is going to be in serious trouble,” said Gambhir.
Jasprit Bumrah Is An X-Factor: Gautam Gambhir
Gambhir further said that Jasprit Bumrah should be preserved for the third Test which is a crucial day-night Test match between the two teams.
“100 percent, absolutely. I’m not even sure whether Bumrah should be picked for the second Test match. I think India should preserve him for the pink-ball Test match. See, Jasprit Bumrah is an X-Factor in the series, irrespective of what surfaces to play on and you’ve got to keep that in mind too,” Gambhir said on ESPNCricinfo.
India will be playing three ODIs and five T20Is after the Test series against England and it is imperative to keep the pacer fresh for the limited-overs series. Jasprit Bumrah missed India’s historic last Test at The Gabba due to abdominal strain. India won the Test match and the series 2-1 against their arch-rivals in modern cricket.