"Look At A Guy Like Jasprit Bumrah": Ex-South Africa Star's Workload Warning To BCCI

Former South Africa fast bowler Vernon Philander says Jasprit Bumrah has set high standards for pacers across the world but India will need to manage his workload smartly to keep him injury free. With a loaded international calendar, Philander feels Bumrah should be utilised tactfully. "I think he (Bumrah) has really set the standard high. His skill set, the ability to shift his pace up and down, I think he has just been wonderful for the game. Overall, if you look at the amount of games that India plays, obviously over the calendar year, that load is quite massive," Philander said in a select media interaction on the sidelines of SA20.

"I think it's more about how the Indian management manage him. I would say, you look at a guy like Jasprit Bumrah, and you want him to be playing all the key series, all the key tournaments. So they have to manage his workload in between tournaments," said the cricketer-turned-commentator.

He suggested that India should avoid the temptation of involving Bumrah in every series.

"With IPL coming up, you want a player like him to be available for most games but how do you manage him throughout the IPL season? So I would say you perhaps want to look at playing him in all the main features and give other bowlers an opportunity in less important matches," said Philander, who has taken 224 wickets in 64 Tests for South Africa.

"But again, it's such a tough chat to have, because as a bowler, you want to go out there, you know, there's records to be broken, so you want to keep playing," he said.

Speaking about bowler's workload in general, Philander said it will be a massive talking point ahead of the Champions Trophy.

"I think also from a bowling load management point of view fitness trainers and physios will have to guide the conversation in terms of what's allowed for a particular player.

"With leagues popping up everywhere and you only have X amount of balls in your body, and you want to make sure that you deliver those balls at the right time, at the right competition. If you look at Champions Trophy coming up, I think that will be a massive talking point as well," he said He also wants to see Bumrah playing in the SA20 along with Suryakumar Yadav and Virat Kohli in future.

"I think Suryakumar would be right up there. Jasprit, without a shadow of doubt as his skill set on these kinds of wickets would be phenomenal to watch in action. And then I think you want to see a guy like Kohli who has obviously built a massive name for himself over the last decade or so," he said.

Dinesh Karthik became the first Indian player to be a part of SA20 and Philander feels that young players will learn a lot from his IPL experience.

"It's great to have him (Karthik) over here. I think also, for the first time, Robin Uthappa also joined us for a brief commentary. The youngsters would learn a great deal from them having been a part of the IPL for a number of years, " he said.

"I think a lot of these youngsters like Lhuan Dre Pretorious might play in one of the IPL teams. They will learn a great deal and would have had great insight up front from a guy like Dinesh Karthik, being in the same changing room," he added.

Asked about his predictions for the top four teams in the Champions Trophy to be held in Pakistan and UAE from Feb 19, he picked India, South Africa, Australia and England.

"I think India is a big contender as we are playing in the sub-continent. Australia is always there in big events. I think South Africa has got a lot of confidence from the last T20 WC and number four could be England," he said .

He also credited SA20 for the resurgence of the game in South Africa in the last 2-3 years.

"I think Greame Smith (league commissioner) and his team have done a wonderful job. The match-up between bat and ball has been a lot closer. A couple of youngsters that really put up their hands this year. It was massively needed in South Africa to have a T20 league, to give the guys the exposure as talent was always there," he said.

"To make the World Test Championship Final was a massive boost for South Africa. Let's not forget, South Africa played in the T20 World Cup final." 

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Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team South Africa Cricket Team Jasprit Bumrah Vernon Philander Cricket