“You don’t rest your number one bowler in the name of workload management" - Sunil Gavaskar slams India for dropping Jasprit Bumrah

Sunil Gavaskar is baffled by India's decision to rest Jasprit Bumrah for the second Test against England in Chennai.

At the toss on Saturday, skipper Virat Kohli announced that Jasprit Bumrah was not in the playing XI to better manage the player's workload considering the busy schedule ahead.

However, speaking on Star Sports, Sunil Gavaskar slammed India for 'resting' their number one bowler in a marquee series, as there is a seven-day gap between the second and third Tests.

“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,” said Sunil Gavaskar.

The third Test, which begins on February 24 in Ahmedabad, will be played under the lights with the pink-ball, which traditionally favours the pacers.

Meanwhile, England also opted to rest their experienced speedster, James Anderson, for the second Test to keep him fresh for the Ahmedabad day-nighter.

Jasprit Bumrah's recent form

Jasprit Bumrah in action

Jasprit Bumrah, who missed the last Test against Australia at the Gabba due to an abdomen injury, made a rousing comeback in the first Test in Chennai. On a pitch that had little help for the pacers in the first two days, Jasprit Bumrah bowled with nagging line and lengths to pick up three wickets in England's first innings.

In the second dig, the 27-year-old accounted for the all-important scalp of the opposing captain Joe Root with a superb reverse-swinging delivery.

In the Australia series, Jasprit Bumrah led the Indian bowling attack admirably in the absence of his fellow senior-pros Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma. In three Tests Down Under, Bumrah took 11 wickets, doing so at a fine average of 29.36.