new delhi, Aug 10
Ajinkya Rahane has lauded Jasprit Bumrah for showing “courage” in informing the team management in advance about the number of matches he would play in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Rahane noted that such honesty is rare in India, as selectors often drop players who make such admissions.
The BCCI’s physios, along with the team’s medical staff, had decided well before the series that Bumrah should not shoulder the workload of more than three games. The fast bowler made that clear in pre-series interviews and went on to feature in only the first, third, and fourth Tests, delivering 119.4 overs for 14 wickets at an average of 26.
“What I liked about the Bumrah situation was that he was pretty clear; he knew what he wanted to do before the series,” Rahane said in a video on his YouTube channel.
“He said, ‘I’ll play the first one, I won’t play the second one, and then I’ll play the third’. Great clarity for a captain. It shows that he has the courage to tell the captain and management to be really clear. It also shows that he is keeping the team ahead of himself. Sometimes it is not easy to do so when you are playing for India. Sometimes players convey the same message to the team, and then they get dropped,” he added.
Following the conclusion of the Test series, reports quoting unnamed BCCI officials suggested the board might reconsider its planning for Bumrah, opting to pick him only for series where he is fully fit to play all matches.
Rahane stressed that to prolong Bumrah’s career and impact, India must “use him properly” and allow him adequate rest. “Because of his unique action, there is a lot of load on his body. If you want Bumrah to play all five Tests, then use him in smaller spells like three or four overs,” Rahane suggested. “I think England were wary of Bumrah when he was playing; ‘Bazball’ didn’t come out to the full extent. When Bumrah wasn’t there, they played a little freely. It is important to use him properly; you have to give him the luxury to get the best out of him,” he said.
