India bowling coach namedrops Bumrah in major 'workload management' verdict after 1st Test: 'We've not decided...'

Team India registered a solid win over West Indies in the first Test of the series in Dominica, beating the hosts by an innings-and-141-runs. This was India's first overseas innings win since 2016, and saw a commanding performance from India throughout the three days of action. Ravichandran Ashwin was the pick of the bowlers with 12 wickets to his name across the two innings, including a seven-wicket haul in the second. With the bat, Yashasvi Jaiswal ruled the roost in his maiden Test, smashing a brilliant 171.

Even as India enjoyed a comfortable outing in the first Test, bowling coach Paras Mhambrey has acknowledged that bowlers' workload management is a big concern for the team management going forward. The cricket calendar this year also includes the home ODI World Cup in addition to the Asia Cup, that takes place in August-September. India are also scheduled to tour South Africa in December later this year; the dates and venues for the tour were announced on Friday night.

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The 51-year-old Mhambrey said India missed Jasprit Bumrah a lot in recent times, and with a jam-packed calendar ahead, a lot of discussions have been going on within the team about bowlers' workload management.

“Injuries and workload of bowlers is a big concern. If you look at the last one-and-a-half years, Bumrah is a player who we have missed a lot. We have not decided who is going to play white ball and who red ball but eventually we have to give breaks to our bowlers,” Mhambrey said after India's thumping innings win, as quoted by PTI.

“This break also provides us an opportunity to create bench strength. Going forward, we have to take care of bowlers' fitness and workload management.”

The former Mumbai and India pacer feels that with the two marquee tournaments lined up this year, it is imperative for the team management to plan bowlers' workload.

“Workload management is one of the important things we have been working on it for the last couple of years... obviously we have missed Bumrah and Prasidh who have been part of the set-up,” Mhambrey said.

“We have learnt from that. Looking at the schedule we have ahead of us, we play a lot of different formats and in that sense workload management will be important. A lot of discussion has been going on with the captain and in the team management as well,” he added.