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Legendary South African batter AB de Villiers has expressed surprise at how India is managing the workload of their premier fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah.
Drawing a comparison to how South Africa once handled Dale Steyn’s schedule, De Villiers noted that key bowlers were often rested during lower-profile series to ensure peak performance during major Test matchups.
Currently, Bumrah is set to play only three of the five Tests in the ongoing series against England, a contest held in honour of James Anderson and Sachin Tendulkar. Following India’s loss in the first Test at Headingley, Leeds, reports indicate that Bumrah will miss the second Test, scheduled to begin on July 2 at Edgbaston in Birmingham.
“He is the best bowler in the world across all formats right now, so it’s difficult to find the right time to rest him. But I believe Test cricket is the ultimate format, and this particular series would have been the perfect opportunity to have him play all five matches," said De Villiers on his official YouTube channel.
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Referring to past experiences with Dale Steyn, De Villiers said, “We used to rest Dale during less important T20 and ODI series to ensure he was fully fit for key Test series — especially against top sides like Australia, England, and India, particularly when playing away. Sometimes New Zealand as well, depending on their ranking.”
The former South African captain also raised questions about what led to the decision to rest Bumrah in the middle of such a significant series. “I don’t know if it’s a case of mismanagement, or if the fact that he’s just come back from injury played a role. Maybe he treated the IPL as part of his recovery. Perhaps a surgeon told him he couldn’t handle all five Tests. If that’s the case, you have to respect it. But ultimately, it's up to Team India to manage him wisely," he said.
