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'I am a big Bumrah fan but…': Glenn McGrath's game-changing advice after India pacer's career-threatening injury
Glenn McGrath was full of praise for Bumrah but at the same time, shared a word of caution which promises to prolong the India pacer's career.
They may be one of the greatest fast bowlers of their generations but Glenn McGrath and Jasprit Bumrah are not much alike. Their actions are poles apart – while Bumrah's is as unorthodox as it gets, McGrath's was one of the smoothest ever. Also, Bumrah has pace and while his accuracy levels are equally top-notch, McGrath's bowling precision is yet to be matched. Having said that, the one aspect that binds Bumrah and McGrath together is that over time, both became their respective captain's go-to bowlers. Under Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting, McGrath scaled unprecedented heights, so much so that the world is yet to see a fast bowler quite like him. Similarly, under the leadership of first MS Dhoni and then Virat Kohli, Bumrah blossomed into the world's finest, consistently challenging and dismantling oppositions with his unique brilliance.
Whenever a star from the past weighs in on the greatness of a modern-day phenomenon, it always makes for a fascinating viewing. And McGrath talking about Bumrah is no different. McGrath was full of praise for the India pacer but at the same time, shared a word of caution that promises to prolong Bumrah's career. Bumrah's tryst with injury isn't new. As a matter of fact, in the last four years, he has hurt himself way too many times, including a thumb injury in 2018, lower back stress fracture in 2019, abdominal strain in 2020-21, and the most-recent and career-threatening of them all – a second stress fracture in the back, sidelining him for almost a year.
If Bumrah has to ensure he represents India for a long time, McGrath reckons the pacer needs to manage his body and workload judiciously. It is clear that India won't give Bumrah every match from now on – especially Test match at home until and unless it's a do-or-die scenario – and given just how packed the cricketing calendar is each year, McGrath feels the right thing for Bumrah will be to be selective, thoughtful and probably consider the option of taking breaks in between.
"He (Bumrah) has been incredible for India. His bowling stats, the wickets he has taken, and the way he bowls, I am a big fan but his bowling action puts a lot of stress on his body. So he needs to stay strong and fit. If he does that he could play for a few more years," McGrath said on the sidelines of an a fast-bowling camp organised by the MRF Pace Foundation.
"With the current international schedule and the IPL, there is no off-season anymore for a fast bowler, especially for someone like Jasprit, who needs an off-season to pull his strength back in. So that's a decision he needs to make himself (on whether to give up on one of the formats). It is getting harder to play all three formats. That is something Jasprit will have to think about moving forward because what he does is unique and is quite tough on his body too. I think he has a lot more to offer for the rest of his career."
Look at Anderson, Broad, says McGrath
In 7 years, Bumrah has gotten injured way more than McGrath did during his 14-year-carrer. Then again, cricket today is nothing like it was back in the 1990s or early 2000s. The ever-changing dynamics of the game and the abundance amount of cricket makes it tedious for a fast bowler to maintain his fitness throughout, more so in case of Bumrah, with his unique and loaded action. Still, he can take a cue from certain players who have lasted long, including McGrath himself.
"There is a lot of cricket played these days. It puts a strain on your body, but you have to know how to recover and find time to put strength back on your body. Guys like James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Courtney Walsh played for many years as they knew how to manage their bodies. I worked hard on my fitness, and I had an easy action which made my comeback from Injury easier," the former Aussie quick added.
