Sunil Gavaskar urges Gautam Gambhir to rest Jasprit Bumrah, says focus should be on ‘bigger game’ than Pakistan
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has advised head coach Gautam Gambhir and skipper Suryakumar Yadav to rest pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah for India’s final Group A clash against Oman at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. The 1983 World Cup-winning legend insisted that Bumrah should also skip the high-voltage Super 4s game against Pakistan on Sunday to stay fresh for the Asia Cup final on September 28.
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Gavaskar’s Advice for Bumrah
Speaking on Sony Sports Network, Gavaskar said India should look beyond the Pakistan fixture and manage Bumrah’s workload wisely. “I believe Jasprit Bumrah should be rested, perhaps even for the Pakistan game, so he’s available for the bigger match on Sunday, the 28th. That’s what India should be looking at. Of course, one bench player will need to come in, but Bumrah should be left out tomorrow to give him rest,” he suggested.
Bumrah has featured in India’s two Asia Cup matches so far, against the UAE and Pakistan, where he picked up three wickets. Although he has shown signs of rustiness, Gavaskar believes protecting him for the knockout stages would be the smarter move. The 31-year-old also had a rotated role during the England Test series earlier this year, featuring in only three of the five matches but still managing two five-wicket hauls.
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Focus on Batting Depth
Gavaskar further urged Suryakumar Yadav to shuffle the batting order and give more opportunities to players who have barely had time in the middle. Sanju Samson, who has been slotted at No.5, is yet to face a delivery in the tournament, while youngster Tilak Varma too could use some valuable time at the crease.
“I would like to think that India would consider batting first and keep the same opening pair. Maybe number three, Suryakumar Yadav, the skipper, could drop himself down the order, giving Tilak Varma a chance to bat at No.3 and allowing Sanju Samson a bit of a hit as well,” Gavaskar explained.
He added that the Oman match provides a perfect opportunity to prepare the batting group for the tougher fixtures ahead in the Super 4 stage against Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. “It’s more about preparing the batters than the bowlers,” Gavaskar remarked.