WTC final: "Don't want Rohit Sharma to get any runs, he can save them for IPL" - Shane Bond quips

Former New Zealand pacer Shane Bond cheekily remarked on Saturday that he doesn't want Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah to do well in the World Test Championship (WTC) final. Instead, he asked the Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper to 'save some runs' for the second half of the IPL 2021.

Shane Bond, who is also the current bowling coach at MI, said this while talking about his cherished relationship with Rohit and Bumrah. He revealed that he stays in touch with the duo even while they are away on tours and that he's glad to have friends like them.

"That's what I love, messaging Rohit and Jasprit when they are playing different series around the world and having that relationship with him is cool. I love that about the game that you have friends all over the world in different teams doing well. I hope he doesn't have a great game coming up (chuckles) because he's one of the big weapons and same with Rohit, I don't want him to get any runs, he can save them up for September-October when we get back together again," Shane Bond said on The Times of India Sportscast.

Hitman Rohit Sharma and Boom Boom Jasprit Bumrah is ready for the final. #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/geIgQFGhk2

— CricketMAN2 (@man4_cricket) June 17, 2021

Shane Bond also spoke specifically about Jasprit Bumrah. He recalled their first meetup in 2015 and narrated how their coach-apprentice bond has matured over the years.

"Jasprit is one of those who I got to know back in 2015, he was a skinny guy who was coming back from a knee reconstruction. Certainly didn't lack confidence in himself and I think coaching is just about... forming relationships with people, the more time you spend with them, you build trust, you offer them things that can help make them better. It's all I have tried to do, understand how he ticks, find areas in his game where I think he can be better and probably see him almost better than I think he can believe... And then we'll have a joke, a laugh and some good fun. Now I really look forward to coming back and seeing him. We only see each other a couple of months a year, but when we do it's just brilliant to reconnect," added Bond.

"Why would you change something that makes him so unique?" - Shane Bond on Bumrah's unorthodox action

Shane Bond (L) and Jasprit Bumrah

As bowling coach, Shane Bond has closely observed Bumrah's unorthodox yet supremely effective bowling action. When asked whether it could imperil his career with injuries, Shane Bond argued that injuries aren't specific to any action and managing a pacer's workload is far more important.

"Any action can cause injuries. That's the uniqueness about what he does which makes him very special. As a coach, I am always asked to look at an action because it's supposed to look a certain way to bring about a certain result whereas if you look at some of the bowlers I have got to work with... they are all very successful and they have all had different injuries at different times. That's the nature of bowling, it's hard on the body. So, there's certain things that I look at for Booms [Jasprit Bumrah] when we talk about his action, but why would you change something that makes him so unique and so special?" asserted Shane Bond.

Shane Bond also lauded the BCCI for its discretion on its pacers' workload, including through breaks before and during bilateral rubbers.

"You keep an eye on how much he bowls, how fit and strong he is, managing the workload. I think India have done a really good job in the last few years, in particular resting him from series, giving him breaks within Test series as well. And they have been practice about doing that stuff wit all their bowlers and they'll reap the benefits of that in the next few years," signed off Bond.

The WTC final's first day was washed out due to rain. It's likely to begin on Saturday at 3 pm IST.

UPDATE - Unfortunately, play on Day 1 has been called off due to rains. 10.30 AM local time start tomorrow.#WTC21

— BCCI (@BCCI) June 18, 2021