India's star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah's "demanding action" and "high pace" put immense pressure on his body, and managing his workload is absolutely necessary to keep him match fit, former cricketer Robin Uthappa has said.
Bumrah was rested for the three-match ODI series against the visiting South Africans and returned for the five-match T20I series. He played a key role in the hosts' massive 101-run win in the first T20I at Cuttack.
The 32-year-old was also rested for the ODIs against Australia in October but played the T20I series.
"He is an absolute match-winner, and managing his workload is crucial. Fast bowling is probably the toughest skill in the sport, and Bumrah does it at high pace with a demanding action." said Uthappa on JioStar's Cricket Live.
"You want to protect that, but at the same time, you want him to play enough cricket. We've seen glimpses of his brilliance, and hopefully he can build consistency over the next few games heading into the World Cup," added the former India cricketer, who retired from all forms of cricket in 2022.
The fourth T20I here was abandoned without a ball being bowled on Wednesday due to poor visibility caused by dense layer of smog, and the final match of the series in Ahmedabad on Friday is a must-win for the Proteas to level the series.