Legendary Sunil Gavaskar said that he didn't 'understand the decision' after Virat Kohli-led India decided to rest pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah for the second Test against England at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
India made three changes to the side that lost the first Test. The hosts decided to rest spearhead Jasprit Bumrah to bring in Mohammed Siraj into the Playing XI. Left-arm spinner Axar Patel, who is making his Test debut, and Chinaman Kuldeep Yadav replaced Shahbaz Nadeem and Washington Sundar respectively.
Gavaskar, highlighting the seven-day break between the first and second Test, said that he doesn't understand the philosophy of giving rest to 'supremely fit' players. In the series opener, Bumrah was the pick of Indian bowlers as he plucked four wickets while playing his first Test match at home.
"I don't quite understand the decision to rest Bumrah, especially considering there's a 7-day break between the second Test and the third. These are not the cricketers of the past but belong to a generation of players that is supremely fit," said Gavaskar on Star Sports after the team announcement post toss.
“You don’t rest your number one bowler in the name of workload management. Jasprit Bumrah is India’s number one bowler with the new ball, while Ravichandran Ashwin is the number one spinner.
When you have lost the opening game of such a crucial series, you can’t rest your number one pacer. I am baffled by Bumrah’s snub, as there is a seven-day recovery time after the second Test match,” he further said.
India, after electing to bat first, suffered an early blow as opener Shubman Gill departed on a duck. The Punjab youngster was trapped by Olly Stone in just second over of the day.
After Gill's dismissal, Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara stitched a half-century stand to steady India's innings. Rohit notched up his fifty off just 47 deliveries while Pujara played in his trademark fashion from the other end.
The duo was looking in good touch before Pujara was dismissed by Jack Leach before lunch. To plunge misery on the Indian batting unit, Moeen Ali, in the very next over, ran through the gates of Virat Kohli to jolt the hosts with a major blow. Kohli departed on a duck and in the end, Rohit and vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane stuck in the middle before lunch as India reached 106/3.
