IND vs ENG: 'Bumrah will play three matches', de Villiers lashed out at Gambhir and the team management, gave the example of Dale Steyn

Posted on 30th Jun 2025 by rohit kumar

The second match of the five-match Test series between India and England will be played at Edgbaston in Birmingham from July 2. Team India had to face defeat in the first Test at Leeds. After this, head coach Gautam Gambhir talked about Jasprit Bumrah's workload management in the press conference and talked about playing him in three Tests. However, former South African great batsman AB de Villiers did not seem happy with Gambhir's statement and decision. He has targeted Gambhir and the Indian team management. Also, citing the example of former fast bowler Dale Steyn, he asked to manage Bumrah's workload in the same way.

 

Bumrah has been India's main weapon on every ground, be it in the country or abroad. However, with him playing only three Tests, Team India will have to field a different bowler in the other two matches and the England team can take advantage of this. You can guess the impact of Bumrah from the fact that when he took five wickets in the first innings of the Leeds Test, the England team was all out and when he did not get a wicket in the second innings, the English team chased the runs. Earlier, Bumrah was also the main bowler on the Australia tour.

 

Former South African captain de Villiers also once managed the workload of the great bowler Dale Steyn. In whichever series Steyn was a part of the South African team, he used to play all the matches. This is the reason why de Villiers does not agree with the decision of the Indian team management. He said on his YouTube channel, that Bumrah is probably the top bowler in the world in all formats at the moment. So it is very difficult to decide what is the way to give him rest.'

 

He said, 'In my opinion Test cricket is the highest format of the game. In my opinion, Bumrah is most needed in this Test series that he should play all five matches (because the team is young).' Citing the example of Steyn, de Villiers said that Bumrah should have been given rest for less important T20 and ODI matches. He said, 'We used to do the same with Dale Steyn. He was given rest in less important T20 and ODI series. Steyn was told to be ready for the big Test series against Australia, England, and India at their home. To some extent against New Zealand as well, it depended on the rankings at that time.'

 

De Villiers even accused the Indian team management of not managing the players properly and questioned what happened that the team management had to take this decision. He said, 'I don't know if it was mismanagement or maybe because he has recently returned from injury. Maybe Bumrah went to the surgeon and he told him that he could not play five Test matches. I mean you have to respect this and in the end, it depends on Team India how they can manage Bumrah well.'

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