Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly has emphasised the importance of managing Jasprit Bumrah’s workload effectively in order to get the best out of him ahead of the high-profile Test series, which begins on 20 June in Leeds.
As previously stated by chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar and India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir, Bumrah’s body needs to be handled with care, and he is expected to feature in only three of the five Tests.
Bumrah’s body broke down during the Sydney Test, ruling him out of action for nearly three months before he returned to the field in April.
“You’ve got to look after him and not make him bowl more than 12 or 13 overs,” Ganguly told RevSportz.
The former BCCI president further stressed the importance of playing four pacers to ease the burden on Bumrah — allowing the captain to use him more strategically, while others shoulder the heavier workload.
“I believe four fast bowlers are essential. In this setup, others will have to be the workhorses — like Siraj, Arshdeep,” Ganguly added.
Bumrah has played nine Test matches in England, taking 37 wickets at an average of 26.27 and a strike rate of 57.8. His best bowling figures in an innings are 5 for 64, and he has two five-wicket hauls in the country.
Ganguly also reiterated the importance of taking 20 wickets to win a Test match.
“I’m not sure about Nitish or Shardul Thakur. Maybe they can contribute with the bat, but I believe India need to back seven specialist batters and rely on the bowlers to take 20 wickets — that’s how you win Test matches,” he said.
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