“Gautam Gambhir Outlines ‘Important’ Task for Jasprit Bumrah”

Gautam Gambhir, in his first press conference as the new India head coach, emphasized the crucial task of managing the workload for premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah. Gambhir described Bumrah as a ‘rare bowler’ and highlighted the need for careful workload management to ensure he is available for key matches. “I’ve said it before, workload management for someone like Jasprit (Bumrah) is important. He is one rare bowler that anyone would want. You want him to play important games. That’s why workload management for not just him but fast bowlers is crucial,” Gambhir stated.

Bumrah has proven his value to the Indian team repeatedly. After an extended period on the sidelines, including missing the 2022 T20 World Cup and undergoing back surgery in March 2023, he made a notable return. His comeback was marked by his captaincy debut in the India vs Ireland series in August 2023, followed by a stellar performance in the 2023 ODI World Cup and historic figures during the T20 World Cup winning campaign.

Gambhir also noted that while managing fast bowlers’ workloads is vital, he expects batters to be available across all formats. “If you are a batter who’s performing well, you should ideally play all formats. With Rohit and Virat retiring from T20Is, they will now focus on two formats. Hopefully, they will be available for most games,” he added.