Gqeberha, Feb 5: 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 here.“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. (PTI)
