Managing Jasprit Bumrah’s workload is most important: Virat Kohli

Indian skipper Virat Kohli was singing praises for frontline pacer Jasprit Bumrah. The speedster returned to the team post a short break after the World Cup 2019. The pacer had a scratchy first innings but came back brilliantly to demolish Windies in the second innings.

His 5/7 ensured India won the first Test match at North Sound, Antigua with a day to go. The skipper was extremely proud and delighted by the performance of the team especially Bumrah’s whose bowing wrecked the hosts.

Virat Kohli maintained that managing the workload of the pacers is of utmost importance. “Managing Bumrah’s workload is most important which is why he didn’t play any white-ball games (vs WI) after the World Cup. He will be a key factor for us as long as the World Test Championship continues,” Kohli said after the match.

‘All team selections are made keeping the best interests of the team in mind’

The decision to leave out Ravichandran Ashwin and Rohit Sharma from the playing XI for India’s first Test in the ICC Test Championship came in for lot of criticism from former India captains Sourav Ganguly and Sunil Gavaskar. In the post-match presentation, the No. 1 ranked Test match batsman did agree that team selections do come under extreme scrutiny but the exclusion of some players is solely made keeping the interests and benefit of the team in mind.

“We have a group discussion and then we decide what’s best for the team. There will always be opinions about the XI, but people will know that it’s in the interest of the team,” Indian captain said.

It must be noted that both of the major exclusions of R Ashwin and Rohit Sharma didn’t affect the team’s performance one bit. Ravindra Jadeja was fantastic with both ball and bat in the Antigua Test. He scored a handy half century and bagged couple of wickets as well.

Hanuma Vihari also looked very assured and fluent at the crease in both the innings. He threw his wicket away after looking good on 32 in the first innings But his knock of 93 laden with lot of exquisite looking shots was something that should have impressed one and all.

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