Gautam Gambhir fires ramrod-straight response about workload management of Jasprit Bumrah: ‘He is one rare kind…'
Speaking to reporters, India head coach Gautam Gambhir explained why workload management is important for someone like Jasprit Bumrah.
Team India is taking extra care of Jasprit Bumrah in Gautam Gambhir era? The newly appointed head coach has made it crystal clear that rules are different for batters and bowlers under his watch. Attending the first press conference in Mumbai before his debut assignment as head coach in Sri Lanka, Gambhir said that he wants stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to play as many games as possible.
With Gambhir at the helm, seasoned campaigners won't be allowed to pick and choose series for their workload management. Kohli and Rohit retired from T20Is after a successful T20 World Cup. The batting icons were added to India's squad for the One Day International (ODI) series against Sri Lanka. However, Team India has rested pace ace Bumrah for the entire Sri Lanka tour. Kohli and Rohit will prioritise the traditional formats after bidding farewell to T20I cricket.
Why workload management for someone like Bumrah is important
Thus, Kohli and Rohit would remain available for most of the international matches. Regarding Bumrah's workload management, Gambhir asserted that Team India must keep the speed merchant fresh for crucial encounters across formats. “Workload management for someone like Bumrah is important. For Bumrah, because he is one rare kind of a bowler who anyone would want, so it’s our responsibility to try and have him fresh for most of the important games. Not just for Bumrah but for other fast bowlers too,” Gambhir told reporters.
Did you know?
Bumrah was named the Player of the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean. The India pacer picked up 15 wickets at the T20 World Cup. The premier pacer played an instrumental role in taking India to the final of the ODI World Cup last year. Bumrah has the best powerplay economy as a bowler (4.39) in the last four years. The 30-year-old has played 36 Tests, 89 ODIs and 70 T20Is for India.
India's speed merchants for Sri Lanka tour
India have added pacers Arshdeep Singh, Khaleel Ahmed and Mohammed Siraj for the T20I series against Sri Lanka. Pacer Harshit Rana bagged his maiden India call-up for the ODI series. The first T20I of the Sri Lanka series will be held on July 27, followed by matches on July 28 and 30 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. The ODIs of the Sri Lanka series will be held on August 2, 4 and 7 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
