India’s decision to rest star pacer Jasprit Bumrah for the fifth and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England at The Oval has stirred widespread debate. With the series on the line and the pitch favouring the seamers, Bumrah’s withdrawal has sparked widespread criticism of the Indian management. However, assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate described the decision as a complex but planned move based on long-term sustainability.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had previously declared that Jasprit Bumrah would play only three of the five Tests on the trip, citing workload management following his back injury.
After delivering match-winning stints in the first, third, and fourth Tests, Bumrah’s absence from the series finale at The Oval, particularly after bowling only once at Old Trafford, sparked suspicion that the team management would reconsider their strategy. However, Bumrah was formally removed from the roster prior to Day 2 of the last Test. The BCCI stated that it was a predetermined decision to protect one of India’s most important fast-bowling talents.
“You know, he did say he was going to play three games. He left it up to us which three he played. We’ve tried to manage the situation. You know, we obviously want to wheel him out, but we also want to respect where his body’s at. And on the basis of that, we just felt that it wasn’t worth including him in the squad [XI for the Oval Test]. You know, he has bowled a large number of overs.
I know it doesn’t always seem like that because he’s only played three Tests and he only bowled in one innings in Manchester. But if you look at the loads, he has bowled a lot of overs. And like he did say coming into the tour, he was going to be available for three games. And we just felt it was right to honour that call,” ten Doeschate said on Thursday.
If we’d come here 3-1 down, that we didn’t use him there: Ryan ten Doeschate
Bumrah picked up 14 wickets in three matches at an average of 26, including five-wicket hauls at Lord’s and Headingley. Despite bowling in just one innings at Old Trafford, he has bowled over 119 overs across the series.
“Yeah, every time I’ve answered this question, I’ve spoken about putting the pieces of the puzzles together. And guys were baffled when we didn’t play him in the third [second] Test. And our thinking, yeah, was that The Oval, yes, it’s got bounce, but it’s normally a fairly good wicket for batting on. And we thought if we had rolled the dice in Manchester, obviously if we had won the toss, we would have bowled.
In hindsight, you would have loved to have him here. But you would also have said if we’d come here 3-1 down that we didn’t use him there. So it’s trying to not guess, but trying to look into the future and then try to see how we can manage him. And maybe England have got it spot on, leaving the best bowling wicket for the last Test after he’s played three,” he added.
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