Title: You Can’t Pick & Choose If Selected for India: Irfan on Bumrah
The absence of Jasprit Bumrah from the second Test against Bangladesh has raised eyebrows, and former India cricketer Irfan Pathan has weighed in on the controversy. In an interview, Pathan expressed his disappointment with the decision to rest Bumrah, stating that if you’re selected for the Indian team, you can’t pick and choose when to play.
Bumrah’s absence has led to the inclusion of Akash Deep in the playing eleven, but Pathan believes that the young pacer won’t be able to achieve stability in his performance due to the limited opportunities he’ll get. According to Pathan, when Bumrah is available, Deep will be relegated to the bench, making it difficult for him to develop consistency.
“It’s very difficult for someone like Akash Deep to get stability in his performance when he’s only going to play when Bumrah is not available,” Pathan said. “You can’t pick and choose when you want to play for India. If you’re selected for the Indian team, then because of workload, you cannot pick and choose.”
Pathan’s comments come at a time when India is facing a challenging series against Bangladesh, and the team’s bowling attack has been weakened by the absence of Bumrah. While it’s understandable that the team management wants to manage Bumrah’s workload, Pathan believes that the decision to rest him has sent a wrong message to other players.
“If you’re selected for India, you have to be prepared to play every game,” Pathan said. “You can’t say that I’m not going to play this game because I’m tired or I need a break. You have to be professional and play every game to the best of your ability.”
Pathan’s criticism of the decision to rest Bumrah is not limited to his absence from the second Test. He believes that India needs to plan for Tests assuming that Bumrah and Mohammad Shami won’t always be available. According to him, the team needs to develop a deeper bench strength to ensure that there’s no disruption to the team’s performance.
“The way India is playing Test cricket, you can’t assume that Bumrah and Shami will always be available,” Pathan said. “You have to plan for Tests assuming that they won’t be available. You have to develop a deeper bench strength, and that’s not happening right now.”
Pathan’s comments have sparked a debate about the team management’s decision to rest Bumrah, and it remains to be seen how the team responds to the criticism. However, one thing is certain – the absence of Bumrah has weakened India’s bowling attack, and the team will need to find a way to compensate for his absence if they want to win the series.
