Mohammad Azharuddin to Jasprit Bumrah on workload management: ‘Manage it — what if India needs you?’

Mohammad Azharuddin speaks about Jasprit Bumrah's workload management. (Photo: PTI)

Speaking candidly about Jasprit Bumrah's workload management, Mohammad Azharuddin stated that, considering the state of India's fast-bowling stocks at the moment, the idea needs to be carefully considered and applied more effectively. Bumrah participated in three of the five Test matches against England for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy and it turned out that India won the matches he missed.

It is impossible to overstate how much India needs Bumrah, though, and for that reason, the former skipper believes that the decision-makers must find a method to guarantee that the pacer will be accessible whenever the nation needs him.

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With 14 wickets, Bumrah concluded the series as the fourth-highest wicket-taker. Even though Bumrah is nine wickets behind Mohammed Siraj, the most successful bowler with 23 wickets, the fact that he took those many in two fewer Test matches demonstrates why no one is even close to or like him.

Bumrah bagged a five-wicket haul in the series opener at Leeds and followed it up with four wickets at Lord’s, but India ended up losing both matches. While Azharuddin praised Siraj and Prasidh Krishna for stepping up at Edgbaston and The Oval, he maintained that resting Bumrah when he’s not injured is not the right approach.

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"If there is an injury issue, then the Board and the player have to decide. However, I feel once you are in the team, you can't pick and choose your matches. There is a workload, but at this level, you must manage it. You are playing for the country. It was a different story that Siraj, along with Prasidh [Krishna] and Akash Deep, rose to the occasion, and we were fortunate that we could win without Bumrah, but what happens if India needs Bumrah badly in a particular situation?" Azharuddin was quoted as saying by Mid-day.

Azharuddin's remarks follow similar sentiments expressed by Sunil Gavaskar and Sandeep Patil. Despite that argument, Azhar was gushing about India's captain Shubman Gill and his performance in his first Test series. Gill passed his test with flying colors in a nation where India has had difficulty winning Test series in England; with their last victory coming in 2007.

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Azharuddin, who captained India in 1992 and 1996 when they were heavily defeated, is aware of the hardships of captaining the Indian team in England. The retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma had caused concerns prior to the England tour, and without Mohammed Shami, Gill did not have the strongest support from anyone outside of the BCCI and the selection committee. However, 45 days later, he has altered that impression.

"At the start of the tour, many were apprehensive of new captain Gill, but in the end, this young team came out with flying colours. The batters did a very good job, particularly Shubman, KL Rahul and [Ravindra] Jadeja. Gill has started his tenure as captain on a high note," Azharuddin added.