Jasprit Bumrah was back to his sharpest and most effective point of view on Friday when he very nearly ignored the questions about the management of his workload and firmly declared that he "tries to take care of his body" and those "questions were not my questions".
It was a dry track that saw India taking the unusual spin route of four spinners for the first time since 2012 and it was Bumrah who ruffled the most feathers with 5/27, his third five-wicket haul at home and 16th overall, as South Africa were dismissed for 159 in just 55 overs on the opening day.
Jasprit Bumrah on workload, form and tactics
Bumrah has faced intense scrutiny over his workload since the England Test series, with critics questioning his commitment after he was unable to bowl on the final day of the Sydney Test due to a back spasm and was rested for two Tests in England.
"I try to give my best in whichever format I play. These questions are not my questions; I will not answer them. I try to play as much as I can. I try to take care of my body," he said at the post-match press conference.
A multi-format player, Bumrah has been continuously active since the England series, featuring in the Asia Cup T20Is, Tests against the West Indies, and T20Is in Australia. He was rested for the ODI leg in Australia. "I try to give my best in each and every format... Rest, question-answer sessions — whoever wants to play, they can play. I'm happy as far as I'm able to contribute and try to learn new things," he added.
Bumrah also reflected on the significance of a five-wicket haul in India, where conditions traditionally favour spinners. "Whenever you play in India, it is known that spinners will pick up a lot of wickets. So whenever you're able to make an impact with limited spells... it always feels good. I'm very happy with the performance. The job is still left in the Test match," he said.
The Eden track offered uneven bounce that helped the pacers, with South Africa batting coach Ashwell Prince attributing their collapse partly to the conditions. "This is the challenge of Test cricket. We go to England, the atmosphere is different. We go to Australia, the challenge is different. So we have to adapt. It is our job to adapt. That's the beauty of Test cricket — different conditions, different skills," Prince said.
Bumrah broke down the tactical mindset needed on the lively Eden pitch. "Patience is the first lesson in Test cricket. If you're too desperate or go for a magic ball, the runs come too fast. You need to control your temptation and build pressure. There is a bit of help from the wicket, but you'll have to be patient here," he explained.
Assessing the right length on a tricky pitch was crucial. "Basically, it's the harder-ball game. When the ball is nice and hard, maybe the deviation is quicker. In my first over, everything happened — the ball swung, stayed low, went high. One ball kicked, one went low... so then you see, okay, this is the way it's shaping. As the ball became softer, it settled down. The deviation was not consistent," Bumrah said.
(By PTI Inputs)
