Jasprit Bumrah, once again at his sharp best, dismissed the rumors about his workload management, stating that he “tries to take care of his body” and that those “questions were not my questions.”
Bumrah took 5/27, his only third fifer at home and 16th overall, on a dry pitch that forced India to select four spinners for the first time since 2012. South Africa was dismissed for 159 in just 55 overs on the first day.
Following the England summer Test series, Bumrah’s “picking” of matches for his workload management has come under great scrutiny.
His back spasm prevented him from bowling on the last day of the Sydney Test against Australia, and when he was rested for two Tests in England—the second and fifth that India won—critics began to doubt his dedication.
“I try to give my best in whichever format I play. These questions are not my questions; I will not answer them. I try to play as much as I can. I try to take care of my body,” Bumrah said at the press conference on Friday.
Bumrah is a multi-format player who has been playing consistently since England. He participated in the successful Asia Cup T20ls, moved to Tests against the West Indies last month, and then played T20ls in Australia during the most recent series. But for the ODI leg there, he was rested.
“I try to give my best in each and every format… Rest, question-answer sessions – whoever wants to play, they can play. I’m happy as far as I’m able to contribute and try to learn new things.”
Bumrah recognized the unique nature of such hauls in India, where spinners have historically dominated home conditions.
“Whenever you play in India, it is known that spinners will pick up a lot of wickets. So whenever you’re able to make an impact with limited spells… It always feels good. I’m very happy with the performance. The job is still left in the Test match.”
Ashwell Prince, the batting coach for South Africa, attributed their disaster to the inconsistent bounce of the surface, which was most advantageous to the pacers.
“We went to South Africa and in five sessions the Test match was over (Cape Town Test in 2024). So it’s never a simple answer that this is how the wicket should be.
“This is the challenge of Test cricket. We go to England, the atmosphere is different. We go to Australia, the challenge is different. So we have to adapt.
“It is our job to adapt. That’s the beauty of Test cricket – different conditions, different skills. You must have a lot more skills in your armoury to succeed.” Bumrah broke down the tactical mindset required on a lively yet punishing Eden track.
“Patience is the first lesson in Test cricket. If you’re too desperate or you go for a magic ball, the runs come too fast. You need to control your temptation and build pressure. There is a bit of help from the wicket, but you’ll have to be patient here.”
At the Eden, determining the appropriate length is crucial because, according to Bumrah, it took him a few overs to correctly assess the conditions at first.
“Basically, it’s the harder-ball game. When the ball is nice and hard, maybe the deviation is quicker. When I bowled the first over, everything happened — the ball swung, it stayed low, it went high.
“One ball kicked, one went low… So then you see, okay, this is the way it’s shaping. As the ball became softer, it settled down. The deviation was not consistent.”
