Former cricketer Gautam Gambhir feels Team India should rest Jasprit Bumrah for the second Test match against England. Bumrah has been one of the key bowlers for India in the past few years and in the past couple of months, he has been playing regularly missing just one Test in Brisbane.
Gambhir feels India should preserve Bumrah for the pink-ball Test at Motera Stadium, Ahemdabad as he is an X-factor for the hosts.
“100 percent, absolutely. I’m not even sure whether Bumrah should be picked for the second Test match. I think India should preserve him for the pink-ball Test match. See, Jasprit Bumrah is a X-Factor in the series, irrespective of what surfaces to play on and you’ve got to keep that in mind too,” Gambhir said on ESPNCricinfo.
The former opener gives a piece of advice to the team management to use Bumrah in short spells as an injury to him will put India in serious trouble.
“Jasprit Bumrah you can’t just keep bowling for longer sessions. Give him that short burst of three overs to try and pick a quick wicket, but not long spells because Bumrah is going to be very important going forward in the series. And if something happens to him, India is going to be in serious trouble,” the former batsman added.
During the Australia tour, Bumrnah suffered an abdominal strain due to which he missed the Brisbane Test. India are already going through several injury crises in the camp with Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Hanuma Vihari and Ravindra Jadeja already being ruled out from the first two Tests against India.
Bumrah claimed three wickets for India in the first innings against England in the ongoing Test in Chennai, which is also his debut Test on Indian soil. England posted a mammoth total of 578 runs on the scoreboard in the first innings and there will be huge responsibility on Bumrah’s shoulders to bring his A-game in second innings.