Jasprit Bumrah Stayed True to His Plan in England: ‘Others Say the Same, They Get Dropped’

Ajinkya Rahane praised Jasprit Bumrah for his clear approach and professionalism during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series against England.

Rahane Praises Bumrah’s Clarity and Team-First Approach

Ajinkya Rahane, the seasoned India batter, lauded Jasprit Bumrah for the clarity with which he approached the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England. Before the five-match series began, the No.1 Test bowler informed the BCCI, captain Shubman Gill, and head coach Gautam Gambhir about his availability for only three Tests. The 31-year-old featured in the first, third, and fourth matches against Ben Stokes’ England.

Jasprit Bumrah delivered two five-wicket hauls—one at Headingley and another at Lord’s—finishing the series with 14 wickets. Midway through the final Test at the Oval, which India eventually won by six runs, he was released from the squad on Day 2.

Rahane, who famously led India to a 2-1 series win in Australia in 2020-21, highlighted Jasprit Bumrah’s professionalism and selflessness. “What I liked about the Jasprit 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 he has the courage to tell the captain and management to be really clear,” Rahane said on his YouTube channel.

He added, “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. As a player, when you are representing India, it’s not easy. Sometimes players convey the same message to the team, and then they get dropped.”

Bumrah wanted the team to be well-prepared

Rahane also had some words of advice for head coach Gautam Gambhir, captain Shubman Gill, and chief selector Ajit Agarkar regarding Jasprit Bumrah’s workload. He suggested that if the management wants Bumrah available for every Test India plays, then his usage must be limited to short bursts—spells of three or four overs at most.

“It just shows that he wanted the team to be well prepared even when he wasn’t playing. 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 3 overs or 4 overs,” Rahane explained.

Highlighting Bumrah’s impact, Rahane noted, “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.”

Bumrah’s heavy workload has long been a concern. Earlier, he played all five Tests against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, but midway through the final game in Sydney, he suffered a back spasm that ruled him out of the Champions Trophy. Since 2020, Bumrah has bowled over 1,000 overs in Tests, sparking discussions about his longevity in the longest format.

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