We will have to be very smart with the workload for pacers – Paras Mhambrey

With the World Cup done and dusted, Team India will be on the road for their upcoming bilateral series. Apart from the upcoming series against Australia where the Men in Blue will be hosting the Kangaroos for five T20Is, there will also be multi-format challenges loading along the way.

The Indian pacers played a pivotal role in the recently concluded global extravaganza and in the upcoming days as well, the hallowed pace trio of Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami ad Jasprit Bumrah, particularly being all-format bowlers, will continue to play a key role.

India will play seven Test matches between January to March, starting off with two Tests against South Africa, followed by five matches at home against England - all pivotal to shaping up the fate of India’s World Test Championship 2023-25 campaign. 

Indian bowling coach Paras Mhambrey has made it very clear that the workload for the pacers will have to be managed very carefully in order to avert injuries and channelise India’s bowling pool accordingly.

During a media interaction, Mhambrey said, “We will have to be very smart with the way we go forward in terms of managing the workload. These guys have played a lot of cricket, so we need to see how we want to go about it.”

Talking about the return of Bumrah, Mhambrey pointed out, “We missed Bumrah for a major part, and you see the difference he brings when he is in the side. The way he has gone in this tournament especially, it's massive.”

He further added, “It has been challenging, but looking at the other side of it, it has also been an opportunity for us to work on the bench-strength.” Shedding further light on India’s reserve crop of bowlers, Mhambrey said, “There is Mukesh (Kumar), Prasidh (Krishna), Avesh (Khan) and Kuldeep (Sen). I would look at it that way.”

Highlighting Shami’s rampage in the global event, Mhambrey said, “He (Shami) was incredible. He obviously hadn’t played the initial games, but the way he came back and bowled throughout the tournament was incredible.”

He concluded by saying, “That’s not something we expected, but we always knew that he always has that positive impact on the game. He has been phenomenal.”