Jasprit Bumrah Namedropped In Brutal Take On Culture In Pakistan Cricket: 'Priority...'

Umar Gul namedropped Indian cricket team star pacer Jasprit Bumrah in his brutal verdict on workload management in Pakistan. Gul pointed out that the culture in Pakistan cricket is such that most players try to play matches even if they are '70-80 per cent fit'. It is mainly due to the lack of a proper rotation policy and the constant fear that they will be replaced if the new person performs well. In comparison, the BCCI has taken a conscious decision to manage Bumrah's workload in the recent past and the biggest instance came during the Test series against England where he played 3 out of the 5 matches.

"Unfortunately, in our (Pakistan cricket's) system, in our culture, the problem is that when we also used to play, any senior player was hesitant. If he's even 70-80% fit, he would say, ‘I want to play'. This was because if another player comes in and performs, then a rotation policy is not in our culture. We only look at the performance: this new guy has performed, so bring him in and let him play. So, I think this trust should be developed (in Pakistan cricket culture) and the rotation policy should be there. Your priority should be the senior player when he gets fit, you should play him," he said, on PTV Sports.

Gul went on to explain that it is the responsibility of the cricketer also well as the team management to assess injuries and come up with a plan recovery plan.

"Players also have a responsibility, so does the management, even your trainers and your medical staff. Both sides have a responsibility (when it comes to injuries and rehab). I'll say the player's responsibility is because if a player is injured, he himself knows the most about how he is feeling from the inside. What caused the injury? The doctor will tell you and will inform you that you should rest for two weeks, or five weeks. But the players themselves know from the inside how much rest they need and when they are ready," the former Pakistan cricket team bowling coach said.

Topics mentioned in this article

Pakistan Cricket Team India Cricket Team Umar Gul Jasprit Bumrah Asia Cup 2025 Cricket