Trouble for Bumrah? Gambhir, BCCI reportedly planning to crack down on 'culture of picking and choosing games'

Despite concerns over his fitness and workload following his back injury in January, Jasprit Bumrah’s absence in two matches in the high-voltage Test series against England has reportedly rubbed head coach Gautam Gambhir and the BCCI the wrong way. read more

India pacer Jasprit Bumrah and head coach Gautam Gambhir at a training session ahead of the fifth Test against England at The Oval. AP

Amid the euphoria over Team India's epic six-run victory at The Oval that helped them level the five-Test series against England 2-2, head coach Gautam Gambhir and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are quietly working on the road ahead. They are also reportedly planning to continue their crackdown against superstar culture within the team, something that Gambhir has been particularly vocal against over the years.

With the BCCI having already taken action against certain individuals traveling privately and limiting the amount of time family members can spend with a player on a tour, Gambhir as well as the BCCI have set their sights on another aspect of the perceived superstar culture – picking and choosing matches in the name of workload management.

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“There have been discussions and the message will be sent across to the centrally-contracted players, especially those who are all format regulars that this culture of picking and choosing games won’t be entertained in near future,” a senior BCCI official privy to current happenings told news agency PTI on conditions of anonymity.

“It doesn’t mean that workload management will be thrown out of the window but a more objective approach is expected in near future. Obviously, fast bowlers’ workload needs to be managed but it can’t be accepted that in the name of workload management, people will miss crucial matches.”

Spotlight on Bumrah after workload drama in England?

The reported development isn’t great news for Bumrah, who looked somewhat off-colour by his own lofty standards even as he finished the fourth-highest wicket-taker with 14 wickets in three matches, including two five-fors.

That the pace spearhead sat out of two matches – the second Test at Edgbaston as well as the series finale at The Oval – reportedly has not gone down too well with the head coach as well as the board.

This was despite the fact that it was excessive workload during the two-and-a-half month tour of Australia, where he finished as the leading wicket-taker by a fair distance, which resulted in a back injury, sidelining him for nearly four months.

Given his stature as the best bowler across formats in the current generation, the Indian team had been advised to be careful with his workload.

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However, the fact that pace colleague Mohammed Siraj played all five Tests this summer without experiencing a drop in intensity at any given point and finished as the leading wicket-taker (23) has further led to questions over Bumrah and concerns over his workload.

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Critics also cited examples of Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant and England captain Ben Stokes playing despite nursing injuries.

Additionally, what has also worked against Bumrah in this series is the fact that he did not have any role to play in either of India’s victories. While the Shubman Gill-led visitors won both games that the 31-year-old missed, they lost two and drew one in the games that he played, leading to a perception that the team isn’t as dependent on him anymore.

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