India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah puts extraordinary stress on his body due to his high pace and demanding bowling action, making workload management absolutely vital, former India cricketer Robin Uthappa has said.
Bumrah was rested for the three-match ODI series against South Africa but returned for the five-match T20I series, immediately making an impact in India’s emphatic 101-run win in the opening T20I at Cuttack.
Why Jasprit Bumrah’s workload remains a big talking point
Speaking on JioStar’s Cricket Live, Uthappa underlined Bumrah’s importance to the Indian setup while stressing the need to balance protection with match exposure. “He is an absolute match-winner, and managing his workload is crucial. Fast bowling is probably the toughest skill in the sport, and Bumrah does it at high pace with a demanding action. You want to protect that, but at the same time, you want him to play enough cricket,” Uthappa said.
The former batter added that glimpses of Bumrah’s brilliance are encouraging ahead of the T20 World Cup and expressed hope that the pacer builds consistency in the remaining games.
The fourth T20I was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to dense smog, leaving the final match in Ahmedabad as a must-win encounter for South Africa if they are to level the series. Uthappa believes the visitors have been competitive but undone by inconsistency. South Africa have been hot and cold. Their bowling has been good, but the batting hasn’t always clicked. Still, it’s been an entertaining series. They’ll be desperate to win the final game and finish the tour on a high,” he said.
Former South African quick Dale Steyn, however, felt the Proteas had already exceeded expectations on the tour.
“Winning the Test series was outstanding. They were very competitive in the ODIs as well. They might feel they let the first ODI slip, which could have changed the series,” Steyn said.
Steyn added that India would be deserving winners if they seal the T20I series, but hoped South Africa could stage a late comeback.
He also reserved praise for young opener Abhishek Sharma while expressing admiration for Shubman Gill’s elegance at the crease.
“I love watching classical shots, a proper cover drive or someone stepping out and hitting straight. Gill makes batting look effortless. Even when you’re on the losing side, players like him are a joy to watch,” Steyn said.
(By PTI Inputs)
