AB de Villiers, a South African cricket icon, has warned England that India might use Jasprit Bumrah as a surprise addition to their playing XI in the second Test. On July 2, the second Test of the five-match series will start at Edgbaston. India has never won there in eight attempts.
De Villiers praised Bumrah on his YouTube channel and stressed the need to carefully manage the star pacer’s workload. He said that India’s strategy was similar to how South Africa used to handle Dale Steyn, giving him time off during less important white-ball matches to keep him fresh for big Test series.
“He is probably the best bowler in the world in all formats right now.” “Test cricket is the best form of the game,” de Villiers said. “So it’s very hard to figure out how to rest him.”
“To me, this Test series would have been the best way to get him ready for all five Test matches. We used to do that with Dale (Steyn). “Give him a break from less important T20 and ODI series and get him ready for the big Test series against Australia, England, and India away from home,” AB said.
The former wicketkeeper batsman said he was disappointed that Bumrah might not play in all five Tests because India’s bowling group isn’t very experienced. But he intimated that this might be a strategic move.
“It’s too bad that he won’t play all the Test matches because his bowling attack isn’t very good. That’s what the media seems to have said.”
“Maybe it’s all part of the surprise to say, ‘We’re thinking of resting Bumrah,’ but then he plays all five Test matches as a surprise.” Ab de Villiers said, “I hope that’s the surprise for Team India,” referring to Bumrah’s workload management.
India’s team management had already said that Bumrah will only play in three Tests in the series. This was because they were still managing his workload after he had back surgery after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
The 41-year-old ended by saying, “I hope Bumrah’s return is the surprise they need now that India is down 1-0.”
