It is harsh to say Jasprit Bumrah is picking matches, says Shane Bond
Former New Zealand pace bowler Shane Bond defended India's decision to exclude Jasprit Bumrah from the ODI squad to focus on Tests.
Former New Zealand pace bowler Shane Bond has defended India's decision to exclude Jasprit Bumrah from the upcoming One Day International (ODI) squad, according to the Times of India.
Bond stated that it is harsh to suggest the bowler is picking and choosing matches to play. He noted that experienced bowlers understand their bodies and discuss workloads with medical staff and coaches.
The decision to leave Bumrah out of the ODI series allows him to concentrate exclusively on the Test series, which is part of a tour lasting more than 40 days.
Bond said that managing workloads is essential because India play an enormous amount of cricket. He added that the goal is to have best players fit and ready for the World Cup next October or November.
Discussing India's pace attack, Bond said the team has height, pace, and depth, though he noted they perhaps lack a left-arm fast bowler. He praised Mohammed Siraj for his consistent performance across formats.
Bond also mentioned that Akash Deep is a good bowler and that coach Gautam Gambhir will likely want enough options to rest and rotate players.