Jasprit Bumrah Debate: AB de Villiers Blasts Gautam Gambhir's '3 Test Declaration'
On the tour of England, one of the toughest places for the Indian team to win a Test series, the fact that the tourists would have Jasprit Bumrah, arguably the best pacer in the world, available for just three games out of five, is baffling for many. Bumrah, who featured in almost the entire Indian Premier League (IPL) season for the Mumbai Indians, has been allotted just three games against England. India's head coach Gautam Gambhir already made the decision clear, making many wonder why lesser-important games couldn't be removed from Bumrah's schedule to manage his workload.
Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers, who also had to manage the workload of Dale Steyn during their active days, isn't onboard with the Indian team management's decision over the call to give Bumrah just three matches on the 5-Test tour.
"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," De Villiers said on his YouTube channel.
"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."
Citing Steyn's example, De Villiers said that Bumrah should've ideally been rested in lesser-important T20Is and ODIs.
"That's what we used to do with Dale (Steyn). Rest him in lesser important T20 and ODI series and get him ready for the big Test series against Australia, England, and India away from home... New Zealand to a certain extent, depending on the rankings at that time," he explained.
The former Proteas captain even threw the word 'mismanagement' by the Indian team as he questioned what led to the team taking such a call.
"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," he said.
"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," he added.
"It doesn't get bigger than that, guys, except for maybe the WTC final."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Jasprit Bumrah playing just three Tests in England decided during Champions Trophy: 'He will revisit plan if...'
The decision to have Jasprit Bumrah play just three Tests in the five-match series against England was taken during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, according to Team India's former strength and conditioning coach, Soham Desai. The ace speedster, 31, played all five Tests against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. However, he suffered a back spasm during the last Test in Sydney and as a result, he missed three months of competitive cricket, including the Champions Trophy, which India won. The decision to have Jasprit Bumrah play just three Tests against England was taken during the Champions Trophy. (AP) All signs are leading towards Bumrah missing the second Test against Edgbaston, even when India run the risk of going 0-2 down. Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna disappointed in the first Test as they leaked runs consistently, easing the pressure on England. Bumrah bowled a total of 43.4 overs in Headingley. He returned with five wickets in the first innings. But he went wicketless in the second innings as England chased down 371 to gain a 1-0 lead. There was a seven-day gap between the first and second Tests. However, it seems like Bumrah would now be available for the third Test at Lord's Cricket Ground. Even when the hosts were 85 runs away from the target, India captain Shubman Gill refrained from bringing Bumrah into the attack, signalling that Bumrah's workload would be managed midway through the contest. Also Read: Gautam Gambhir takes Jasprit Bumrah aside; India pacer all but out of 2nd Test "When Bumrah couldn't make it to the Champions Trophy, India's Future Tours Programme (FTP) was studied, and it was decided that he would only play three Tests in England,' Soham Desai told the Times of India. Desai also revealed that management makes the initial plans regarding workload, but Jasprit Bumrah usually takes the final call. He also stated that the plan can always be revisited if the pacer feels there is a crucial juncture in the series. 'It then comes down to the team management and the bowler himself. It's their call. If Bumrah feels this is a crucial juncture in the series, he usually revisits the plan. But one must take into account the ordeal he faces mentally every time he breaks down,' Desai said. 'Set number of overs decided for Bumrah' The former India strength and conditioning coach also revealed that the management already decides the number of overs Bumrah should bowl in a Test even before the match begins. He revealed that Bumrah's back injury was triggered by him bowling a few extra overs without a breather during the Melbourne Test against Australia. 'I've known him since the ACL injury in 2014, during his days with the Gujarat domestic team. He is always trying to understand how his body responds to different circumstances,' Desai said. 'There is a set number of overs that is decided for Bumrah to bowl per Test. One can go five-seven overs beyond that limit, but what needs to be seen is how those extra overs are bowled. At the MCG in the previous Test series, he bowled those extra overs without much of a breather between spells. That caused a spike in his workload, which triggered the back injury in Sydney,' he added.
India Gazette
3 hours ago
- India Gazette
Former India skipper MS Dhoni's application to trademark 'Captain Cool' gets accepted
New Delhi [India], June 30 (ANI): Former India skipper MS Dhoni's application to trademark the phrase 'Captain Cool', which has been associated with him due to the calm demeanour that he maintains on the field, has been officially accepted and published by the Trademark Registry of India, according to ESPNcricinfo. The trademark will granted if any third party does not object within 120 days of the acceptance of the trademark, which was on June 16 this year. The trademark has been filed under the categories related to sports training, coaching, and the provision of sports training facilities and services. According to ESPNcricinfo, Dhoni had applied in June 2023 but was informed by the registry that Prabha Skill Sports (OPC) Private Limited had already registered the trademark 'Captain Cool'. In reply, Dhoni filed a rectification petition for the cited mark, alleging that the company was attempting to exploit his brand and the term's popularity. 'This is a case of bad faith registration on the part of the company, aimed at deceiving the public and unlawfully enriching themselves by trading on the name of a well-known individual,' Dhoni stated in his application. The 43-year-old's application was accepted after at least four hearings. Dhoni was last seen in action while leading the Chennai Super Kings in the 18th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). He took over the captaincy midway through the tournament after designated skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out of the tournament due to an injury. Chennai finished at the bottom of the table for the first time in 16 seasons, which summed up their disappointing season. During his international stint, from lifting India's first T20 World Cup in 2007 with a young, untested squad to guiding the Men in Blue to a historic 2011 ODI World Cup win at home and adding the Champions Trophy in 2013, Dhoni remains the only captain in cricket history to win all three ICC white-ball trophies. His leadership calmed the chaos, turning pressure into opportunity and dreams into triumphs. Beyond captaincy, Dhoni redefined the role of a finisher in ODIs. His unbeaten 183* against Sri Lanka in 2005 remains the highest score by a wicketkeeper in the format. With over 10,000 ODI runs at an astonishing average of 50.57, his legacy with the bat is as impactful as it is enduring. Behind the stumps, Dhoni was a phenomenon. His lightning-fast stumpings and razor-sharp anticipation revolutionised wicketkeeping in limited-overs cricket. Overall, he boasts 17,266 international runs, 829 dismissals and 538 matches across formats for India. (ANI)
India Gazette
3 hours ago
- India Gazette
Hitesh, Sachin Siwach lead India's winning start at World Boxing Cup Kazakhstan 2025
Astana [Kazakhstan], June 30 (ANI): India began its campaign at the World Boxing Cup Kazakhstan 2025 on a promising note with Hitesh Gulia and Sachin Siwach with dominant, unanimous wins in their opening preliminary bouts on Monday at the Beeline Arena. Hitesh, a gold medallist from the Brazil leg, outclassed Olympian Kan Chia-Wei of Chinese Taipei 5:0 in the light middleweight division. Sachin, a bronze winner in Brazil, was equally convincing in his 5:0 win over Canada's Al-Ahmadieh Keoma-Ali in the lightweight category at the Beeline Arena. In women's competition, Minakshi began her campaign with a clean 5:0 win over Australia's Madeleine Bowen in the light flyweight division, while Muskan edged England's Kerry Davis in a closely contested 3:2 decision in the middleweight category. The Kazakhstan leg will run until July 7, with over 400 boxers from 31 countries, including Olympians, contesting across 10 weight categories in both men's and women's divisions. India has fielded a 20-member team, according to India had claimed six medals at the previous World Boxing Cup leg in Brazil. With the finals set to take place in New Delhi this November, the Astana leg plays a key role in shaping preparations. In the Brazil leg in April earlier this year, the Indian contingent delivered an impressive performance in their first-ever outing at the Elite level international meet organised by World Boxing, bagging six medals, including a gold and a silver, at Foz Do Iguacu. Four Indian players bagged bronze medals, including Jadumani Singh Mandengbam (50kg), Manish Rathore (55kg), Sachin (60kg) and Vishal (90kg). During the tournament, Hitesh became the first Indian boxer to clinch a gold medal in the World Boxing Cup. His opponent, Odel Kamara of England, was injured and couldn't take to the ring in the 70kg finale. Abhinash Jamwal, the other Indian boxer to reach the final in the 65kg category, gave his best against local favourite Yuri Reis but could not do enough to get a favourable verdict and bagged a silver medal. (ANI)
