ENG vs IND 2025: 'Do you think jawans complain' - Sunil Gavaskar takes massive dig at Gautam Gambhir over workload management

India’s sensational six-run win in the final Test at The Oval not only helped them level the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2-2 but also brought up the debate in Indian cricket about the concept of workload management. After Mohammed Siraj bowled India to a dramatic victory on the final day, legendary opener Sunil Gavaskar took a dig at head coach Gautam Gambhir and questioned the over-dependency on resting players like Jasprit Bumrah.

India’s ace pacer, Bumrah, was released ahead of the fifth Test, a decision Gambhir later clarified was due to workload management. But as Siraj, who bowled 185.3 overs in the series, finished with a match-winning five-wicket haul on the final morning. Gavaskar criticized the policy that has become a hot topic in modern-day cricket.

"There's always the saying that the bowlers win your matches, but the fact of the matter is that you've also got to score the runs. So because India didn't score the runs, they lost those two matches. So yes, I think Siraj bowled his heart out, and he debunked forever this business of workload. I hope that the word 'workload' goes out of the Indian Cricket dictionary. I've been saying that for a long time. For five Test matches nonstop, he bowled 6-over, 7-over, 8-over spells because the captain wanted it, and the country expected of him. And I think that is the one thing that we all should keep in mind that this workload is only a mental thing, not so much a physical thing," he said as quoted by NDTV.

You are representing India and it should not be taken that lightly: Gavaskar

Gavaskar pointed at the new head coach’s approach and drew a comparison between the players and those soldiers who are serving the nation.

"If you are going to succumb to people who are talking about workload, then you are never going to have your best players on the field. You've got to get them to a situation where you say , 'Hello, you are playing for your country, and when you are playing for your country, you got to forget the aches and pains in your muscles. That is what you mean on the border. Do you think the jawans complain about the cold, or what is the situation? They are there to give their lives for the country. Give your very best for the country. Don't worry about accident pains," he added.

The batting legend even cited Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant’s courage, who batted with a fractured foot during the fourth Test and went on to score a fifty.

"What did Rishabh Pant show you? He came out bat with a fracture. That is the kind of thing you want to expect from your team. That is the, that's something that you want to expect. Don't go by the little injuries. It is an honor given to you amongst 140 crores of people, so you are so lucky to be able to represent India. And you should not take that lightly. And this what we have seen with Siraj, five Test matches, bowling non stop," he further added.

Notably, Gavaskar stated that Bumrah's absence might have been due to an injury rather than just workload, and mentioned that the two things should not be seen as one.

"Not a problem in home series, but definitely in overseas series, where you're taking a team overseas, and the balance of the team can get affected. At home, you have ample time to call out to reserves, so it's not so much of an issue. But going overseas, you have to maybe look at that factor. But Bumrah was an injury issue, not a workload thing. He's had a serious injury. And so therefore I think that also has to be taken into consideration. When he played the two Test matches, he took two fifers. India might not have won, but he took those wickets. So you mustn't forget what a wonderful bowler he is," Gavaskar concluded.