Bumrah’s workload in focus as India get ready for Gabba
Mohammed Shami is unlikely to be rushed into the India-Australia series while Rohit Sharma wants other pacers to step up
Adelaide: 121, 125, 126, 125, 127, 131. These were the speeds (in kph) of Jasprit Bumrah’s final over in the Adelaide Test. One shouldn’t look too much into the speeds though as the match was a done deal by then. So, the decision to not hit top speed was a good one given how vital the pacer is for his country’s hopes in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.

India won the first Test by 295 runs but then lost the second by 10 wickets. With three Tests to come, the visitors know that Bumrah is the one bowler that they cannot do without. When the fast bowler pulled up after the third ball of his 20th over in the first innings here, everyone held their breath.
And it was only when bowling coach Morne Morkel revealed at the end of the day that the 31-year-old was only suffering from a bout of cramp did India heave a sigh of relief.
There have been questions over his workload management but the long break after the first Test ensured that he had enough time to recover. Now, things get tougher. The Aussies are finding some batting form and the Brisbane Test begins on December 14.
“We are not just playing with one bowler. There are other bowlers also who will have to take responsibility and get the job done for the team, be it (Mohammed) Siraj, Harshit Rana, Nitish Reddy, Akash Deep or Prasidh (Krishna),” skipper Rohit Sharma said at the post-match presser on Sunday, sending a loud and clear message for his bowling unit.
“These bowlers have just arrived in Test cricket... Whenever they play a match, it’s important to give them confidence. We keep planning or discussing. But you can’t expect Bumrah to bowl from both ends and from morning to evening.”
In the two matches so far, Bumrah has taken 12 wickets at an average of 11.25. His economy rate of 2.50 also gives Australia no breathing room when he is operating. Siraj has done his bit (9 wkts, avg 19.77) but Rana was put under pressure and R Ashwin didn’t exactly make any inroads either.

In this scenario, India would have loved to have another quality seamer in the mix. And that bowler could be Mohammed Shami but he has only started bowling after a long injury layoff and the team management isn’t quite sure how his knee will hold up in a Test.
The 34-year-old Shami has taken 229 wickets in 64 Tests and has played eight matches in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 tournament since November 23.
“Definitely that door is very much open, but we’re just monitoring him, because while playing (in India), he again got some swelling in his knee, which obviously hampers his preparation to come and play a Test match,” said Rohit.
“We want to be very, very careful. We don’t want to bring him here in a situation (where) he pulls up sore or something happens. We want to be more than 100 percent sure with him, because it’s been such a long time that he’s out.
“And to be fair to him, we don’t want to put pressure on him to come here and do the job for the team. So, we just have to be very, very careful. But again, like I said, that door is very much open for him to come and play.”
The team management has been closely monitoring Bumrah already. He didn’t play the tour game in Canberra and the number of balls he bowls in the nets are counted as well. But for now Rohit doesn’t want to think about the fifth and final Test in Sydney.
“Right now I won’t be thinking about Sydney at all,” Rohit said just after the Adelaide Test. “We need to think about what we can do in Brisbane. It’s a great thing to have someone like Bumrah. But he is not the only one who is going to get the job done every time. The other guys have to take that responsibility — the others get that too.”
Bumrah knows and understands himself best and that is why Rohit keeps talking to him during the match as well. There is a constant conversation about whether the pacer is still feeling fresh or whether he needs a break.
“It’s not about just one individual or two individuals,” Rohit said. “And that’s something that I’ve seen within the group for many years now. But it’s always not the case now; it’s always nice to have you know a few guys sharing that responsibility.”
