As the cricketing fraternity gears up for the fourth Test with India holding a 2-1 lead, the spotlight is on the surprise decision to rest Jasprit Bumrah, the highest-wicket taker of the series. The move, explained by batting coach Vikram Rathour, revolves around workload management.
In a candid press conference, Rathour emphasised the importance of every Test match, especially with WTC points on the line. While India would have preferred Bumrah to play in all games, Rathour explained that considering his workload in the last three matches, it's not advisable.
"I think every Test match is a crucial Test match, to be honest. With WTC points, every game is crucial. Even we would love Bumrah to play all the games, but unfortunately that is not very advisable because the kind of workload he has had in the last three games.
"He has really bowled well and with a lot of heart, a lot of effort, and the kind of schedule we have in the future, it was felt by everybody involved that he should be given a break. And otherwise, he was fine absolutely. He was absolutely fine physically. But it was felt that it is better that he gets a break because there was hardly any turnaround time between the games," he said, as quoted by Cricbuzz.
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While Bumrah's absence is a strategic choice, the team are grappling with the unavailability of KL Rahul in the middle-order due to fitness concerns. This led to Rajat Patidar getting opportunities. However, his struggles in the past games have raised questions about his spot, especially with Devdutt Padikkal waiting in the wings after a stellar run in red-ball domestic cricket.
He is a good player and on his day he will come up with very impactful innings: Rathour
Rathour however maintains unwavering support for Patidar, asserting that despite a couple of challenging matches, Patidar, who earned his spot through consistent run-scoring, remains a skilled and impactful player. Rathour believes in his ability to bounce back and deliver influential innings when the opportunity arises.
"He is a very good player. He has really batted well in whatever cricket he has played. He has had a few tough games, a few awkward dismissals where the ball has stopped on him, this can happen, this is how the game goes. Absolutely no doubt that he is a good player and on his day he will come up with a very impactful innings," he added.
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Rathour finds relief in the middle-order with Ravindra Jadeja's consistent and simple approach, praising him as a valuable asset for the team in both bowling and batting roles.
"Lately, I think what he's doing really well is, and that has been his strength in bowling as well, I think that's the kind of character he has - He keeps everything very simple. There is no complication. He's not overthinking, he's not overanalysing anything. He just does what the team requires at that stage. And that goes for his bowling and batting both. So, I think that is a great asset that he has. Keeping it really simple and executing his plans," he concluded.
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