'Nobody really questions, truth is ... ': World Cup-winning star on Jasprit Bumrah 'workload' row

Jasprit Bumrah (Getty Images)

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NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer Balvinder Singh Sandhu has come out in defence of fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah amid criticism over workload management, after the BCCI announced that Bumrah would not feature in all five Tests against England. The 1983 World Cup winner backed Bumrah following backlash over his absence despite India trailing 1-2 in the series.Sandhu pointed to the physical demands of fast bowling and called out the double standards of targeting bowlers while batsmen often take breaks unnoticed."In these seven years, how many batsmen have gone without injury breaks? How many have opted out of a series quietly? Nobody really questions them. But when it comes to a fast bowler, everyone seems ready to pounce. The truth is — fast bowling is brutal," Sandhu wrote in his Mid-Day column.He also shared eye-opening statistics on pacers’ workload over the past seven years."I was stunned when I saw these numbers. Jasprit Bumrah has had an average rest of just 3.2 days for every playing day across the last seven years, while Mohammed Siraj has had 3.5 days, and Mohammed Shami , 3.7. And remember — both Bumrah and Shami have also missed matches because of injuries.That only makes these statistics even more telling," he noted.Former cricketer Mohammed Kaif too has supported Bumrah’s return to the T20I format in the upcoming Asia Cup squad.Kaif defended him after a mixed showing in England, where fitness issues hampered Bumrah during the fourth Test in Manchester.Bumrah’s T20I comeback comes after more than a year of focusing on red-ball cricket, including tours of Australia and England. Across those series, he picked up 32 wickets in Australia and 14 wickets in three Tests in England, including two five-wicket hauls.However, his struggles with the new ball and fitness concerns in Manchester have reignited the debate over workload management and his readiness for the Asia Cup.

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