‘It’s not a moral or ethical debate’ – Aakash Chopra on Sanjay Manjrekar’s ‘pick and choose’ comment for Jasprit Bumrah

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra responded to Sanjay Manjrekar’s recent comment regarding the Test team having to adjust for Jasprit Bumrah instead of it being the other way round. There has been a wave of scrutiny surrounding Bumrah’s workload management in the recent past. 

Notably, Bumrah was rested for two matches in the five-match series against England recently. The frontline pacer was subject of criticism due to his fitness levels. However, Chopra reckoned such a matter should be seen from a practical viewpoint.

“I was reading Sanjay Manjrekar’s piece. In the Hindustan Times, he wrote that the team shouldn’t adjust for Bumrah and, instead, Bumrah should adjust for the team. I know there are plenty of opinions as to what should be done. I will be honest, I don’t think he’ll play all Tests. He’s going to pick and choose. Whether it’s right or wrong, it’s not a moral or ethical debate, is what I think. If you have a player of that level available, play him whenever he can,” stated Chopra in a video on his YouTube channel.

The cricketer-turned-commentator felt that partial availability would have been an issue had Bumrah been a batter. The 47-year-old also urged the media and supporters not to push Bumrah to take premature retirement from red-ball cricket.

“Jasprit Bumrah, as a bowler, you can adjust the bowling combination very easily. It doesn’t make a difference. If Bumrah had been a batter, a No. 4 or an opener, and had said that he would play two matches and won’t play after that, then it’s a problem. Bowlers need to be rotated in any case in a series of three or four Tests,” he added.

“There is no bowler like Bumrah. Don’t push him forcibly towards early retirement because he is 24-carat pure gold. He is the Kohinoor diamond. The longer he plays, the better it is. I don’t think he will play too much Test cricket, but for however long he plays, I would say hold onto it. That’s just my feeling,” Chopra observed.