ENG vs IND: AB de Villiers breaks silence on whether Jasprit Bumrah should play all five Tests

AB de Villiers said that India should play Jasprit Bumrah in all five Tests, but fitness is important.

ENG vs IND: AB de Villiers breaks silence on whether Jasprit Bumrah should play all five Tests

The ongoing Test series between England and India has once again thrilled cricket fans. This time, the debate is about Jasprit Bumrah. Bumrah has become the biggest name in Indian fast bowling in the last few years. The team management is often questioned about his fitness and workload.

This time, too, the same question has arisen - should Bumrah play all five Tests or not? Former South African batsman AB de Villiers has given his opinion on this issue, which has further heated up the discussion. He believes that a player like Bumrah should be fully utilised in the Test series, provided he is handled properly.

AB de Villiers, while speaking on his YouTube channel, said that Bumrah is currently the best bowler in all three formats. According to him, giving rest to such a player is not an easy decision. De Villiers also said that Test cricket is the real test, so Bumrah should be kept ready for all the matches.

What did AB de Villiers say about Jasprit Bumrah?

He also hinted that if the Indian pacer is being allowed to play only three Tests, then there must be some lack of management somewhere. He reminded that Bumrah had a back injury in the last Test against Australia because he had to bowl continuously. After recovering from that injury, he made a comeback in the IPL.

De Villiers also said that Bumrah's doctor may not have allowed him to play all five Tests. He made it clear that if Bumrah is fit, he should play the entire series, but if his back is not completely fine, then pressure should not be put on him. Also, India should take better care of Bumrah than before so that such situations do not arise again and again.

He is probably the top bowler in the world in all formats right now. So, it’s very difficult to decide a way to rest him, but in my opinion, Test cricket is the ultimate form of the game. And this Test series probably would’ve been the one, in my opinion, to get him ready for all five Test matches,” de Villiers said.

So, I don’t know if it was mismanagement or perhaps because he recently got back from injury, sort of saw the IPL as the warmup phase. Maybe, went to the surgeon, who let him know, ‘You can’t play the five Test matches.’ So, I mean you got to respect that, and at the end of the day, it’s up to Team India to sort of manage him well,” de Villiers added.

Opinion:

In my view, de Villiers is right, but there is a limit to everything. Putting excessive pressure on a player like Bumrah can be dangerous. India also has bowlers like Mohammad Siraj and Akashdeep at this time who can do a good job. Test series are long, and in the conditions of England, the workload of fast bowlers increases suddenly.

If Bumrah is put in every match and then his old back injury returns, then India may have to suffer a big loss. In such a situation, I believe that Bumrah should be used as per the need. After the third Test, a decision can be taken on the situation, whether to play him in the fourth and fifth Tests or not.

Bumrah's participation should be decided keeping in mind the fitness report, the condition of the opposition team and the condition of the pitch. Test matches will keep coming and going, but a bowler like Bumrah will not be found again and again. Therefore, his fitness and career longevity should be given priority. If India adopts a smart rotation policy, then the team will also benefit, and Bumrah will be able to play longer.

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