BCCI is now in a tough mood – Team India players’ arbitrariness has been stopped
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Under Shubman Gill’s captaincy, Team India won the two-match Test series against the West Indies 2-0. The inclusion of Bumrah, who had been struggling with injuries, in both matches surprised many. What was the reason for Bumrah to play in both matches? What is the new BCCI rule that has brought all players into line? Here we discuss Bumrah’s workload, the new board rules, and Ajit Agarkar’s bold decisions in detail.
Immediately after the Asia Cup, Team India, under the captaincy of Shubman Gill, played a two-match series against the West Indies, and the result was as expected. After Ahmedabad, the Indian team defeated the struggling Caribbean team in Delhi. However, in the second Test, the West Indies showed strength in the first, and contrary to expectations, the match stretched into the fifth day. This series saw a surprising decision from India: fielding world No. 1 bowler Jasprit Bumrah in both matches. For two reasons: Bumrah’s career has been plagued by injuries, and the West Indies team lacked the edge he needed for victory.
No Rest Even Immediately After the Asia Cup
It’s also worth noting that Jasprit Bumrah had just returned from playing almost all of the Asia Cup matches. The pitch on which both matches were played was also not particularly conducive to fast bowling. Bumrah’s workload management has been a topic of much debate in cricket circles. Everyone from chief selector Ajit Agarkar to coach Gautam Gambhir has frequently addressed the issue. You may recall that the team management had already announced that he would play only three of the five Test matches on the tour of England in June-July.
Bumrah is currently scheduled to play a five-match T20I series on the Australia tour. With the T20 World Cup scheduled for next year, he will need to play a series of T20Is. Furthermore, ensuring a fully fit Bumrah is available to defend the title will be a major challenge for the team management. So, why was the decision made to field him on these lifeless pitches against the West Indies?
The BCCI’s new rule showed its impact
During the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this year, there was a long break after the Perth Test. During this break, head coach Gautam Gambhir returned to India for personal reasons. With a 1-0 lead, India’s players arrived in Canberra and were scheduled to play a practice match there. The BCCI officials present there found that the situation had gotten out of hand and that most of the players were acting arbitrarily. They are deciding where to go and what to do on their own. Even practice sessions are not being taken seriously.
After Perth, the team’s performance also declined, and India lost the BGT series. All hopes of reaching the WTC final were dashed. After this tour, the BCCI called a review meeting, and the board received all the feedback. The board adopted a strict approach and established some rules. As a result, star players like Rohit and Virat were seen playing domestic cricket after many years.
Change in attitude due to the lessons of the Australia tour
A clear message was given that no player is above the rules, and the board will decide which player should or should not play in which series. If they do play, when and how much they should play. Of course, the BCCI will make these decisions with the help of the Center of Excellence. Players simply need to indicate whether they are available for a particular format. You may recall that before this, players had started deciding whether or not they would be available for a particular series.
The same applies to Bumrah’s case. Had this rule not been introduced, it’s impossible to say with certainty that Bumrah would have played against the West Indies. The physio at the BCCI’s Center of Excellence monitored Bumrah’s workload and gave the green light. His body was declared fit and fine for both matches, and he played. However, Bumrah deserves praise for his enjoyment of Test cricket and his desire to play more of this format. Overall, the Board has drawn a long line through Ajit Agarkar.
In addition, the analysis of the India-West Indies Test series, the players who missed their opportunities, Rohit Sharma’s departure from ODI captaincy, and Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar’s bold decisions were discussed in detail.
