Team India speedster Jasprit Bumrah's wife Sanjana Ganesan had a fun chat with her husband before the start of play on day four of the opening Test against England in Leeds. With Cheteshwar Pujara and Sunil Gavaskar urging Ganesan to convince Bumrah to play all five Tests, the Ahmedabad-born cricketer told his wife it is a conversation for another day.
Team India coach Gautam Gambhir had confirmed before departing England that the 31-year-old will play only three Tests as the management aims to track his workload. During a pre-series interview, Bumrah had also revealed that he is open to playing three Tests in a series for now, given his history of injuries.
In a video released by Sony Sports Twitter, Ganesan told Bumrah:
"There is a request that has come from upstairs from Cheteshwar Pujara and Sunil Gavaskar. Don't shoot the messenger, I'm just telling you, quote 'Jasprit please play all five, please please.'
In reply, the star India bowler said:
"That is a conversation we will have on another day."
"I always wanted to play cricket for India" - Jasprit Bumrah
Speaking at a presser after day three, Bumrah, who took five scalps firmly shut down the critics who told him he can't play for long.
"Jo mera preparation raha hai or idea hai, mujhe hamesha se India ke liye cricket khelna tha. Main apne belief pe khelta hoon, har format mein apne belief pe aaya hoon. Mujhe logon ne humesha na hee bola hai. Logon ne bola hai tum nahin khel paaoge, phir bola 6 maheene kheloge, 8 maheene kheloge. Khelte khelte, mere 10 saal complete hone aaye hain international cricket mein, 12-13 saal se main IPL khel raha hoon. Log abhi bhi bolte hain jaayega, wait karte raho, main nahin sochne waala hoon uske baare mein."
(I always wanted to play cricket for India. I back my belief and I do it at every format. People have always told, they say I can't play, or can play only for 6 or 8 months. I'm now about to complete 10 years in international cricket, been playing in IPL for 12-13 years. People still say, he'll go, let them wait. I'm not going to think about them).
