Kolkata, Nov 14 (IANS) Jasprit Bumrah delivered a firm message after dismantling South Africa with a superb 5-27 on the first day of the first Test at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Friday — he is not interested in answering questions about workload management.

The India spearhead, whose commitment had been debated after he missed the Sydney Test’s final day due to a back spasm and was rested for two Tests in England, made it clear that he focuses only on performing and looking after his body.

At the post-match press conference, Bumrah dismissed the chatter with characteristic composure. “I try to give my best in whichever format I play. These questions are not my questions; I will not answer them. I try to play as much as I can. I try to take care of my body,” he said.

Bumrah has been on an intense playing schedule — straight from the England Tests to the Asia Cup T20Is, then the West Indies Tests, followed by the Australia T20Is. The only breather came during the ODI leg in Australia, where he was rested.

Despite the heavy workload, Bumrah said his focus remains unchanged. “I try to give my best in each and every format… Rest, question-answer sessions — whoever wants to play, they can play. I’m happy as far as I’m able to contribute and try to learn new things.”

On a dry surface where India fielded four spinners in a home Test for the first time since 2012, it was Bumrah who overshadowed everyone, triggering South Africa’s collapse from a promising start to a meagre 159 all out in 55 overs.

Even with conditions seemingly designed for spin, Bumrah’s incisiveness stood out. “Whenever you play in India, it is known that spinners will pick up a lot of wickets. So whenever you’re able to make an impact with limited spells… It always feels good. I’m very happy with the performance. The job is still left in the Test match.”

South Africa’s batting coach Ashwell Prince pointed to the nature of Test cricket, saying conditions will always vary.

“We went to South Africa, and in five sessions, the Test match was over. So it’s never a simple answer that this is how the wicket should be… You must have a lot more skills in your armoury to succeed.”

Bumrah also gave a deep insight into reading a two-paced Eden track that offered both inconsistent bounce and reverse swing.

“Patience is the first lesson in Test cricket. If you’re too desperate or you go for a magic ball, the runs come too fast. You need to control your temptation and build pressure.”

He explained how he adjusted quickly after his opening over. “Basically, it’s the harder-ball game. When the ball is nice and hard, maybe the deviation is quicker. When I bowled the first over, everything happened — the ball swung, it stayed low, it went high. One ball kicked, one went low… So then you see, okay, this is the way it’s shaping. As the ball became softer, it settled down. The deviation was not consistent.”

–IANS

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