Jasprit Bumrah has played just '34 percent' of India's matches in 3 years; Gavaskar's theory backed by hard-hitting stat
Sanjay Manjrekar has advocated for Jasprit Bumrah to play every Test match, saying he has played just ‘34 per cent of India’s matches in the last three years'.
Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar has advocated for Jasprit Bumrah to play every Test match, saying the premier speedster has just played in 34 per cent of the games that the Indian team has played in the last three years. There is immense pressure on the No.1 ranked Test bowler's body and he has already bowled 54 overs in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Bumrah was the pick of the Indian bowlers in Perth and Adelaide, taking 12 wickets. His five-wicket haul in the first innings of the Perth Test helped India register an emphatic 295-run win. However, Bumrah did not find much support from Harshit Rana and Mohammed Siraj at the Adelaide Oval and hence the debate has started on whether the premier pacer has enough backup.
The 31-year-old has already played six matches out of India's last seven and he only missed the Mumbai Test against New Zealand. However, Manjrekar believes that Indian cricket looks out for Bumrah and he is well 'taken care of'.
"I play him every Test match purely because Indian cricket takes care of Bumrah. And I've said this before as well, the number is etched in my head. 34% of international matches that India have played in the last three years is what Bumrah has played. Only 34% of what Indian cricket has played. So he's well rested. And this is when you need, because these are the series that will be remembered forever," Manjrekar told ESPNCricinfo.
"Give him a break in one of those bilaterals that we forget 48 hours later," he added.
Earlier, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar had also stated that Bumrah should play all the remaining Tests against Australia unless he is injured. While speaking to India Today, Gavaskar said that Bumrah is the best-performing bowler hence there is no reason to give him rest.
Are India heavily reliant on Bumrah?
Jasprit Bumrah has been doing the bulk of the job in the Test series against Australia. However, an alarming point arose in Adelaide when Bumrah went down holding his abductor muscle. The pacer came back up soon after, however, there is a concern about whether his body can hold up for the entire length of the Australia tour.
"Makes me think because Shami was a very close second or on many occasions he was number one, and Bumrah was number two. He had the third seamer, Mohammed Siraj, for a while, you know, was there. He's still bowling his heart out. He's doing the best that, as I said, what he has currently," said Manjrekar.
"But what he has as a bowler, as a gift, as an ability, is that going to be enough? So India will have to keep looking out for that third seamer who's very close. Harshit Rana was pretty impressive in the Perth test. But yes, I think that should be the focus of finding a bowler who, if Bumrah gets off the attack, is still a little concerned about the other two. Shouldn't be like, you know, how it was way back in the 90s when you just saw one new ball bowler. (1:30) There's nobody else to worry about on an immediate basis," he added.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy currently stands at level terms. India and Australia will now square off in the third Test at Gabba, Brisbane, beginning December 14.
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