Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has shed light on Jasprit Bumrah’s workload management amid the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar series. Before the Test series, the team management and selectors had clarified that Bumrah would play only three out of the five Test matches.
India’s fast bowler Mohammed Siraj on Monday confirmed that Bumrah would play the fourth Test match against England. Bumrah has scalped 12 wickets in two Test matches at an impressive average of 21 in the ongoing series.
Pathan said Bumrah should only play if he is fit throughout the series. The former Indian all-rounder said Bumrah should push himself when the team needs him.
Irfan Pathan said on his YouTube Channel, “I believe when you play cricket for India, you give it your all. When it comes to a five-over spell and you say Root has come in, you’ve bowled five overs, and you won’t bowl the sixth, that shouldn’t happen. You have to give everything. Either you give everything or you rest properly.”
“When it’s about the country, when it’s about the team, and even if it’s not about the country, at least it’s about the team. The country always matters. But when you play in the team, you are playing for your teammates. You want to give your everything for them. No one, whether on your right, left, the eleven players on the field or those sitting outside, would want anything less,” he added.
Bumrah has bagged two five-wicket hauls in the series and he is going to hold the key at Old Trafford. Pathan said that the team should always come first for any player.
“You play for them first. Your biggest responsibility is to play for your team. So when I said that in commentary, I will always stand by it. The team always comes first. And when you play, you have to give everything. I’m not questioning whether he put in effort. Of course, he did. He bowled his overs. There’s no doubt about it. But where an extra push is needed for the team, you have to give it. At that point, you have to set workload aside. That’s what I believe.”
Pathan added that Bumrah should always play with full intensity at the top level.
“So when Bumrah plays, he should play with full intensity and effort because we want to see him as the world’s number one. For him to stay at the top long term, it will only happen when he regularly wins matches for his team. That will happen only when, instead of stopping at five overs, you bowl that sixth over too when the team needs it, even if it’s the fifth day. Ben Stokes did it. Jofra Archer came back after four years and did it too,” Pathan said.
The fourth Test match between England and India will be played at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, from July 23 onwards.
