Lucknow, Dec 18: Former India cricketer Robin Uthappa has stressed the importance of carefully managing Jasprit Bumrah's workload, saying the star fast
bowler's demanding action and sustained high pace place immense pressure on his body and make workload management essential to keep him match fit.
Bumrah was rested for the three match ODI series against visiting South Africa but returned for the ongoing five match T20I series, where he made an immediate impact.
The 32 year old played a key role in India's emphatic 101 run victory in the first T20I at Cuttack, underlining his value in white ball cricket. He had also been rested during the ODI series against Australia in October but featured in the T20Is.
"He is an absolute match winner, and managing his workload is crucial," Uthappa said on JioStar's Cricket Live. "Fast bowling is probably the toughest skill in the sport, and Bumrah does it at high pace with a demanding action. You want to protect that, but at the same time, you want him to play enough cricket. "
Uthappa added that Bumrah's ability to influence matches makes him a vital asset heading into major tournaments. "We've seen glimpses of his brilliance, and hopefully he can build consistency over the next few games heading into the World Cup," said the former India batter, who retired from all forms of cricket in 2022.
The fourth T20I of the series was abandoned without a ball being bowled on Wednesday due to poor visibility caused by a dense layer of smog. As a result, the final match in Ahmedabad on Friday has become a must win encounter for South Africa if they are to level the series.
Uthappa felt the visitors have been competitive throughout the tour but have lacked consistency in the white ball formats. "South Africa have played very competitively, but they've been a bit hot and cold in the T20I series. Their bowling has been good, but the batting has been inconsistent," he said. "They dominated the Test series 2-0 and were competitive in the white ball games as well. India came back strongly, but South Africa will want to win the next one and head home with their heads held high. "
Former South Africa pacer Dale Steyn echoed similar sentiments, saying his team had exceeded expectations on the tour. "Winning the Test series was outstanding, and they were very competitive in the ODIs. They might feel they let the first ODI slip after winning the toss," Steyn said.
Steyn added that India have been the better side in the T20Is so far and would deserve the series win if they close it out. He also praised young Indian batters, singling out Abhishek Sharma's fearless approach and Shubman Gill's elegance, saying Gill's cover drive remains one of the most pleasing sights in modern batting.
