NEW DELHI: Ajinkya Rahane has hailed Jasprit Bumrah‘s “great clarity” in communicating his workload plan ahead of the Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy against England, saying the pace spearhead showed rare courage and a team-first attitude.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Before the five-match series began, Bumrah informed the BCCI, captain Shubman Gill, and head coach Gautam Gambhir that he would only be available for three Tests. True to his word, the world’s No.1 Test bowler played the first, third, and fourth matches, claiming two five-wicket hauls — at Headingley and Lord’s — and finishing with 14 wickets in the series.
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Do you think Jasprit Bumrah’s decision to manage his workload is beneficial for the team?
“What I liked about the Bumrah situation was that he was pretty clear; he knew what he wanted to do before the series. He said, ‘I’ll play the first one, I won’t play the second one, and then I’ll play the third’. Great clarity for a captain. It shows that he has the courage to tell the captain and management to be really clear,” Rahane said on his YouTube channel.
Rahane stressed that such honesty is rare in Indian cricket. “It also shows that he is keeping the team ahead of himself. Sometimes it is not easy to do so when you are playing for India. Sometimes players convey the same message to the team, and then they get dropped,” he noted.The former vice-captain also advised Gambhir, Gill, and chief selector Ajit Agarkar on how to manage Bumrah’s workload if they want him available for the entire series. “Because of his unique action, there is a lot of load on his body. If you want Bumrah to play all five Tests, then use him in smaller spells like three or four overs,” Rahane suggested.He also believes Bumrah’s presence unsettles England’s aggressive “Bazball” style. “I think England were wary of Bumrah when he was playing; ‘Bazball’ didn’t come out to the full extent. When Bumrah wasn’t there, they played a little freely. It is important to use him properly; you have to give him the luxury to get the best out of him,” Rahane said.
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