“You can’t pick and choose citing workload” - Irfan Pathan questions Jasprit Bumrah’s absence from 2nd Test vs England

Former Indian all-rounder and commentator Irfan Pathan has questioned the Indian team management for resting the Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah for the ongoing second Test in Birmingham.

Speaking on Sony Sports Network, Pathan stated that if a player is picking and choosing Tests, citing workload management, Team India needs to start thinking of playing without him on the whole tour instead.

Furthermore, he asserted that if the team’s main bowler isn’t playing all five Tests on an overseas tour, the team would be at a heavy loss. Moreover, he also added that whoever replaces Bumrah needs stability in the XI.

"When you have been selected in the Indian team, you can't pick and choose citing workload. There is no bowler like Bumrah; he is the No. 1, world-class bowler. But there is no injury here; it is workload management. When you pick and choose because of workload management, you expect Akash Deep to do something magical straightaway. He might do that, but any bowler needs time, and continuity is very important,” Irfan Pathan told Sony Sports Network.

"We have to start thinking of playing without Bumrah and Shami in Test cricket. The planning should be done keeping that in mind. If my main bowler is not playing all five Test matches in an overseas series, I am at a loss. I don't have Bumrah for all the matches, and the youngster replacing him doesn't get the stability,” the former all-rounder added.

Team India is currently aiming to level the series 1-1 with a win in the ongoing second Test in Birmingham. At stumps on Day 1, India were 310/5 in 85 overs. Captain Shubman Gill and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja are at the crease unbeaten on 114 and 41 runs respectively. Chris Woakes was the star bowler for England, scalping two important wickets of KL Rahul & Nitish Kumar Reddy.

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