Following the announcement of India’s squad for the tour to Australia for both white-ball formats, India’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar said that Jasprit Bumrah has been rested for the Australia ODIs for managing his workload, and the team management is going to look after not only his workload but also the other pacers.
Bumrah has been rested for the ODI series to be played from October 19 onwards. It follows three back-to-back tough assignments: the five-match Test tour to England, in which he played three Tests; the Asia Cup-winning title campaign, during which he took seven wickets in five matches at an average of 19.28, with his best figures of 2/18; and the ongoing home series of two Tests against the West Indies.
During the first two outings in the UK and UAE, he was not at his most elite form as a wicket-taker, despite managing two five-wicket hauls in England. During the fourth Test at Manchester, he was also struggling with his fitness and missed the final Test at The Oval.
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During the recently concluded first Ahmedabad Test, Bumrah took three wickets. It is not known if he will play the series decider, starting from October 10. Coming to the Australia tour, Bumrah will be coming back during the T20I series starting from October 29 onwards.
Speaking to the media during the team announcement presser, Agarkar said about Bumrah, “We have already rested him for the one-day games. When we can manage his workload, we will do that. Like I said in the previous press conference, there was a month and a half, or close to that, five weeks or something, since that Manchester test that he played. There is always a plan. Whenever you can give him a break, you will.”
“Because we all know how important he is. But we have also got to see what is in the interest of the team. And when we need him to play, he is always available. We will look after not just him. (Mohammed) Siraj bowls a lot of overs as well. Other guys do play test cricket and will end up having a lot of bowling to do. We will try to manage all the seamers so that we minimise the risk of injury,” he added.
Another absence from the squad is all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who is missing the tour in its entirety. Pandya will not play because of the injury he picked up just bef
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