Former Indian batter Mohammad Kaif has slammed the team management for resting Jasprit Bumrah in the second T20I against New Zealand. Bumrah returned to the starting XI in the third game at Guwahati and bagged 3-17 in his quota of four overs.
The gun fast bowler returned with 0-29 in three overs he bowled in the opening T20I. Bumrah didn’t have the rub of the green on his side as Rinku Singh had fluffed Mark Chapman’s catch.
Bumrah has had injury troubles in the past and the team’s think tank is trying to manage his workload with guile ahead of the T20 World Cup.
Kaif questioned why Bumrah was rested as he didn’t come into the series after playing a lot. Bumrah also didn’t play in the three-match ODI series against New Zealand.
Mohammad Kaif said on his YouTube Channel, “Rest for what? What workload? Did he just come back after playing a lot? He has already come after taking proper rest. No, no, this thing just doesn’t make sense to me. If you want to give rest, give rest to Arshdeep Singh. If you want to bring in Harshit Rana, if Axar Patel is injured and you need batting at number eight, then rest Arshdeep and bring in Bumrah. I mean, why are we even comparing here? There is no comparison at all.”
“If Bumrah was left out because of a combination, saying that you need batting at number eight, then that is wrong. No power in the world can keep Bumrah out because of team combination. The team will adjust the combination, but Bumrah will play in the XI,” he added.
The former UP batter said Bumrah can not be rested after playing only one match.
“A bowler like Jasprit Bumrah cannot be rested after one match. He hasn’t even been playing that much anyway. He didn’t play ODIs. He has already come after taking a rest. He doesn’t even play domestic cricket much. Siraj, on the other hand, goes and plays domestic cricket whenever he gets the chance. He plays Ranji, he plays Vijay Hazare. Bumrah has come properly rested.”
“Now, if you talk about rest, yes, rest is taken when a player has played continuously, has body soreness, or has some back issue. I don’t know what it is. That’s when a player is rested, or when workload management is involved. But on both these points, I don’t agree here,” Kaif added.
Bumrah is going to hold the key for India in the T20 World Cup.
