Chief selector Ajit Agarkar defended India’s workload management strategy for pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah during a press conference on Tuesday in Mumbai, emphasizing the need to preserve him for significant matches despite recent criticism. Bumrah, who played only three out of five matches in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England, has been included in India’s 15-member T20 squad for the upcoming Asia Cup in UAE starting September 9.Agarkar addressed concerns about Bumrah’s limited participation in recent matches, explaining that there is no formal written plan for managing his workload.“I don’t think there is any written plan at the moment. Obviously, there has been a nice break after the England series. The team management or the physios or people concerned are always in touch. It’s not just now, and even before his injury, we tried to look after him because we know how valuable he is,” Agarkar said.The chief selector emphasized the importance of having Bumrah available for major tournaments and series.“Clearly, we want him available for all the big games. I know in international cricket, every game is a big game. But there are World Cups, there is Champion Trophy or big series like England or Australia. We want him available all the time. Most fast bowlers are monitored and yes, because he has picked up an injury over the last 2-3 years. It’s extra attention on how unique and how special he is and it won’t change. It won’t change whether it’s this series or in the next six months,” Agarkar stated.Bumrah’s selection for the Asia Cup came despite concerns about its proximity to the upcoming home Test series against West Indies in October. This will mark Bumrah’s first T20 tournament since last year’s World Cup.“As we go along, how he is feeling, when we require him as a team, which is probably the most important thing and along with the physios and the trainers, those things are monitored. We hope that he is available more often than not,” Agarkar added.
