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“Is Lord’s More Important?” Sangakkara Questions Gambhir For Resting Jasprit Bumrah

Aakash Saini

 Sangakkara and Jasprit Bumrah with Gambhir [Source: @SkyCricket, @sujeetsuman1991/x] Sangakkara and Jasprit Bumrah with Gambhir [Source: @SkyCricket, @sujeetsuman1991/x]

Former Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara has questioned the Indian team management, led by head coach Gautam Gambhir, for excluding ace fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah from the playing XI of the second Test against England at Edgbaston in Birmingham. The Indian speedster was replaced by Akash Deep in the playing XI, as confirmed by captain Shubman Gill just before the match.

Sangakkara slammed the Indian management, and urged for a clarification behind the controversial decision, especially in the context of the five-match series.

Sangakkara Slams Jasprit Bumrah’s ‘Workload Management’

Sri Lankan great Kumar Sangakkara has asked for a clarification behind Team India’s decision of prioritising the workload management of industrious pacer Jasprit Bumrah. Even though Team India lost the opening Test to go 0-1 down in the series, the Gautam Gambhir-led Indian management excluded Bumrah from the second Test in favour of inexperienced Akash Deep.

While speaking on Sky Sports and as quoted by The Times of India, Sangakkara said:

“Interesting to understand how the decision is being made and who makes it? Is it after a consultation with the players or the physios? It depends on whether the Lord's Test is more important than the series? The series is on the line.”

Kumar Sangakkara said that he expected Gambhir to urge Jasprit Bumrah to play the second Test, and give him an option of taking a rest from the Lord’s affair next week instead. He added:

“If we see the score, it's an even day, perhaps a little bit more tilted towards England with the five wickets down. So, I would have expected the coach to have gone to Bumrah and say 'Yes, we thought you might play the 3rd and the 5th Test, but we're going 1 and 2. Take a look if you can play the third if you can, because then you've got two weeks off before the next one.”

Apart from Kumar Sangakkara, former Indian cricketers and active commentators like Irfan Pathan and Ravi Shastri have also questioned the management’s decision of resting Jasprit Bumrah from the playing XI.

Nonetheless, Team India batted first and mounted over 300 runs on Day 1, with captain Shubman Gill leading the way through his century. Gill resumed the Indian innings on Day 2 alongside Ravindra Jadeja.