India vs England: Sunil Gavaskar takes aim at Jasprit Bumrah following Lord's defeat
The 22-run defeat for India at Lord's has flamed the fire around the availability of Jasprit Bumrah again. The star pacer has been a key talking point in the India vs England series since before it began. Bowling across the five-match Border Gavaskar Trophy saw Bumrah enduring a back injury that kept him away from the game for over a couple of months. Taking cognizance of his workload, Bumrah informed the management that he'd play only three out of the five India vs England Test matches. However, now, as the stakes rise higher for India in England, former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar has called for the pacer to show up for the team.
"You're not on a holiday": Gavaskar's blunt take on the availability of Jasprit Bumrah in the India vs England series
The limited availability of Jasprit Bumrah in the India vs England Test series has been a significant point of contention. The Indian head coach, Gautam Gambhir, and the newly appointed Test captain, Shubman Gill, confirmed Bumrah's reduced workload before leaving for the England tour. The pacer played the opening Test at Headingley, which the visitors lost by 5 wickets. Following the originally curated plan, India didn't play Bumrah at Edgbaston. The move brought remarkable scrutiny for Gambhir and Gill, as the fraternity questioned the decision of not playing their match-winner at a point where they had the chance to level the series.
Despite Bumrah's unavailability, India handed a massive 336-run defeat to England in the Edgbaston Test, recording their first-ever Test win at the venue. However, now, after the narrow 22-run defeat in the third India vs England Test at Lord's, Bumrah has landed under fire again. Bumrah, who has been confirmed to be available for only three matches, is likely to miss the next fixture, scheduled in Manchester. However, with India on the back foot in the series, Sunil Gavaskar has reiterated the need for Bumrah's participation in the upcoming matches.
Known for his bold takes, Gavaskar didn't mince his words as he directed Bumrah to play both the remaining games in England. The former Indian captain highlighted that no 'superstar' player should take a break in a series, as it is not a holiday. Furthermore, in his argument, Gavaskar called for the players currently on the bench to play county cricket in England and not sit idle.
"No superstar player should take a break. You have not come here for a holiday," Gavaskar said about Bumrah. "You should get some cricket. You are pl
