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'I don't like bowlers resting': Brett Lee 'against whole resting rule' amid BCCI's workload management for Bumrah, Shami
Brett Lee believes that pace bowlers should be doing “all the hard work.”
Former Australia fast bowler Brett Lee is against the idea of fast bowlers being given rest in international cricket. According to Lee, the pacers must be playing “each and every single game” and toil hard day in, day out.
Lee's comments come after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday announced the Indian squads for the ODI and T20I series against West Indies. Both of India's leading pacers – Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami – were rested for the series. Shami was also rested for India's ODI series against South Africa earlier.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Legends Cricket League where Lee is representing the World Giants side, Lee said that he doesn't like bowlers “resting.”
"I'm against the whole resting rule. I don't like bowlers resting, I like bowlers to play each and every single game," Lee told PTI.
“If they are struggling with an injury then it's fair enough. But what I want to see is pace bowlers, doing all the hard work and playing day in and day out.”
Since making his debut for India in 2016, Bumrah has been rested for multiple limited-overs series at home for workload management. While Bumrah was named the vice-captain in the SA ODIs, Shami was subsequently given rest after playing in all three Tests in South Africa.
Lee also talked about India's poor outings in South Africa, where the side faced a 1-2 defeat in Tests and a disappointing 0-3 clean sweep in ODIs. Lee felt it must have been an aberration as it was the same side who beat Australia in Australia and then took the upper hand against England to lead 2-1.
"Look, it happens sometimes. They have been playing some pretty good cricket. The way they played in Australia, beating them on home soil, and then in England...
"Australia are currently right up there, the number one side in the world. But India have been a very good Test side. It was one of those things that South Africa played a really amazing series on their home soil," he said.
