The raging debate over Jasprit Bumrah’s workload management continues with former India allrounder Irfan Pathan suggesting that the pace spearhead shouldn’t be held back when on the field as there’s enough
time for him to rest and recover when off it. Pathan cited the Lord’s Test when he felt Bumrah should have bowl longer spells especially to Joe Root, a batter he has made his bunny having dismissed him 11 times in the format.
Pathan lavished praise on Bumrah, pointing out his wide range of skillset and termed his record as outstanding.
“One thing is that a guy like Jasprit Bumrah is very unique,” Pathan told Revsportz. “They are like treasure with the kind of skill they have. I was the first one to say that the kind of skill he has is the best skill we have ever had. If you talk about the history of Indian cricket, he is the guy who can bowl inswing, outswing, bouncer, dipping slow one, yorker with a new ball et cetera. He started with inswing. He is now doing outswing with a beautiful wrist position, and the kind of record he has is outstanding.”
Pathan reiterated that since Bumrah is the team’s best bowler, he should be utilised well, especially when the stakes are high.
“I’m talking about the Lord’s Test match and Joe Root and Ben Duckett had a partnership. It was very-very important for captain Shubman Gill that his No. 1 bowler bowls 1-2 overs, because if he does that, there’s a high chance for him (Root) to get out to Bumrah, because he had done it before and could have done it again. It could also have been possible that he did not get the wicket even after bowling those two overs, but you must take the chances,” Pathan said.
Pathan clarified that he’s not pointing fingers at Bumrah as he continues to prioritise Test cricket despite multiple injury setbacks.
“My thing was that, why not take chances and get restricted to those five overs? In the same game, Ben Stokes bowled a spell of nine overs on the fourth day, being an all-rounder. Jasprit Bumrah goes to fine leg so there is recovery in different areas,” Pathan said.
“He gets proper space and I’m not raising a question on Bumrah’s attitude. No, I will not be a fool to do that, because he is someone who gives Test cricket priority, especially after the back injury, which a lot of other guys have not given,” he added.
Pathan, who played 29 Tests, 120 ODIs and 24 T20Is, thinks that to get the best out of Bumrah, India must be willing to push him during important moments in a match.
“What I’m trying to say is once you are there on the field, it is like a war and you go all out. Now if Indian cricket decides that’s how they will manage him, then they can, but I don’t think desired results will be received until and unless we push things at the time of importance like the Lord’s Test,” he said.
