Jasprit Bumrah's Workload Strategy Sparks Controversy: Former Player Dilip Vengsarkar Disapproves

Former India player Dilip Vengsarkar has voiced his disapproval of India's workload management strategy for their premier pacer, Jasprit Bumrah. The controversy erupted after Bumrah was rested from the second Test against England, despite a lengthy break between matches. Vengsarkar, a legendary figure in Indian cricket, believes that unless a player is injured, there is no justification for skipping a match.

In an interview with RevSportz, Vengsarkar acknowledged Bumrah's status as a world-class bowler but strongly opposed the idea of bowlers selectively choosing which matches to play. He commented specifically on Bumrah's absence from the second Test, despite having ample time to recover after the series opener. Although Bumrah returned for the third Test, questions still linger about his availability for the Old Trafford game.

Vengsarkar emphasized his stance: "I am not in favour of bowlers picking and choosing matches in Test cricket. If you are fit, you should play all the Tests for your country." He added, "Bumrah is a world-class bowler and he can win matches for his team. But once you are playing in a bilateral series, you should play all the matches. You can't select games."

Vengsarkar also suggested that such a policy of resting players would not have been acceptable during his playing days. He expressed surprise that Bumrah did not compete in the second Test, despite having a long break after the first Test. "Playing for India is important. If you are not fit, don't play any game. He had a long break after the first Test but still missed the second game, which was not acceptable," he said.