ENG vs IND 2025: 'Either you give everything or you rest properly' - Irfan Pathan urges Jasprit Bumrah to push himself in fourth Test
"Not questioning that he hasn't put in efforts. He has bowled overs. There is no doubt about it. However, when it comes to going the extra mile for the team, you have to do that," said Pathan.
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Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan has urged star pacer Jasprit Bumrah to go the extra mile if the team needs him in the fourth Test against England in Manchester. With India trailing 1-2 in the five-match series, the upcoming Test at Old Trafford will most likely be Bumrah's final appearance of the tour.
Pathan praised Bumrah’s contributions but emphasized that he must be prepared to give his absolute best if the situation calls for it. The former all-rounder also remarked that if a player is unable to put in full effort, it is better for him to have rest instead.
“I adore Bumrah; his skill is outstanding. However, I believe that when you play for India, you have to give it your all. When you talk about a five-over spell, when Root comes, you are not bowling the sixth over. You have to give it all. Either you give everything or you rest properly. When it comes to a nation or a team, when you are playing for a team, you play for them. Team always comes first,” Pathan said on his YouTube channel.
Harbhajan on Bumrah's workload ahead of Manchester Test
The cricketer-turned-commentator clarified that he has no doubts about the effort Bumrah has put in on the field. However, he believes the speedster needs to dig deeper and push himself further, much like England captain Ben Stokes, who delivered a 9.2-over spell on the morning of the fifth day at Lord’s and bowled another 10 overs during the second session of the day.
The Baroda all-rounder, who is currently busy with India Champions for the WCL 2025 in England, urged Bumrah to show a resilience similar to Stokes' approach and step up to win matches for India, emphasizing that such performances are essential to uphold the reputation of being the best in the world over the long term.
“Not questioning that he hasn't put in efforts. He has bowled overs. There is no doubt about it. However, when it comes to going the extra mile for the team, you have to do that. Bumrah will remain at the top for a long time if he continues to win games regularly for India. You have to put in that extra effort when the team needs you. Ben Stokes did that, and Jofra did it after four years,” Pathan added.
Fellow pacer Mohammed Siraj has confirmed his senior pro's participation for the fourth Test, which will commence on July 23.
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