NEW DELHI: Jasprit Bumrah faced criticism for picking and choosing matches due to workload management, but the India pace spearhead has finally found support in 1983 World Cup winner Balwinder Singh Sandhu, who gave a reality check to his critics. Bumrah, the world’s top-ranked Test bowler, featured in only three Tests of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England.
On the other hand, Mohammed Siraj played all five Tests, bowling more than 185 overs, which drew comparisons and raised questions about Bumrah’s absence from the two matches.
Sandhu, who worked closely with Bumrah before his international debut, launched a scathing attack on the critics, calling out the hypocrisy of questioning Bumrah's absence while ignoring when batters miss matches.
"In these seven years, how many batsmen have gone without injury breaks? How many have opted out of a series quietly? Nobody really questions them. But when it comes to a fast bowler, everyone seems ready to pounce. The truth is - fast bowling is brutal," Sandhu wrote in his column for Mid-Day.
"I was stunned when I saw these numbers. Jasprit Bumrah has had an average rest of just 3.2 days for every playing day across the last seven years, while Mohammed Siraj has had 3.5 days, and Mohammed Shami, 3.7. And remember - both Bumrah and Shami have also missed matches because of injuries. That only makes these statistics even more telling," he added.
Sandhu argued that Bumrah should not be criticised for managing his workload, stressing that the pacer's unique action and physical strain make it impossible to play continuously.
"Compare Bumrah to legends like Kapil Dev, Wasim Akram, Richard Hadlee, or Malcolm Marshall. They all had smoother biomechanics and long careers, but even they weren't spared from injuries. Research has shown that about 40 per cent of a pacer's speed comes from the momentum of the run-up. Bumrah, with his slow run-up, puts extra load on his body to generate that pace," Sandhu wrote.
"So, instead of hammering these bowlers for “choosing matches" let's enjoy watching them perform whenever they can. Enjoy the skills, the execution, the moments they create," he added.
