Team India firms up plan for Bumrah: One India A match before NZ Tests; ODIs unlikely
Indian cricket authorities are planning to rest fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah for the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand to prioritize his fitness for Test cricket. He is expected to play in an India A match to prepare for the red-ball format.
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Strategic workload management for star athletes is becoming critical as international cricket schedules become increasingly congested across multiple formats.
NEW DELHI: India's premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is unlikely to feature in the five-ODI series against New Zealand because the Indian think-tank wants him to focus on the red-ball leg of the tour. TimesofIndia.com has learnt that Bumrah is completely fit, but the team management wants him to increase his workload by playing in the third India A fixture before joining the side for the series opener in Wellington.The India A fixture begins on November 6, and there is a sufficient gap between that game and the first Test in Wellington, which starts on November 19. It is further understood that Bumrah, who has already started his red-ball preparations in Ahmedabad, will reach the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) sometime later this month before flying to New Zealand."Bumrah is completely fit, but for a long tour, it's important to prioritise.
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