'I don't think that they had unfair advantage': Glenn McGrath on India's Champions Trophy matches at one venue

Glenn McGrath (TOI Photo)

Excerpts:

How should Bumrah be managed, given he has had his share of injuries?

How invaluable is Bumrah to India’s scheme of things?

Was Bumrah’s performance in Australia the best by a visiting bowler?

What do you make of India’s Champions Trophy triumph?

Did India have an unfair edge in the CT?

How do you look at India’s white-ball dominance? Can it be extended?

How can India become a bigger force in the longest format?

CHENNAI: Legendary Australia fast bowler Glenn McGrath has backed Jasprit Bumrah to make a strong comeback from his back injury, saying that the premier India pacer has to be “smart” about it as he is no longer young. Bumrah missed the Champions Trophy with a lower-back issue and is likely to be unavailable for the first few weeks of the IPL season . McGrath, the director of the MRF Pace Foundation here, also praised India for making the best use of the conditions during their CT triumph and asserted that they did not have an unfair advantage although they played all their matches at one venue.He puts more stress on his body than the other bowlers. He has found ways to manage it, but unfortunately not all the time. He has done it before (making a comeback from injury), he will know better than anyone (about) the recovery time, the time in the gym. He is not as young as he used to be, so he has to be smarter about what he does.He has to work even harder off the field. Being a fast bowler is like driving a car. If you do not top it up with fuel, you are going to run out of fuel sooner or later. My fuel tank was bigger than Jasprit’s because I did not bowl as quickly as him. These guys know how they work at their best. If India are under the pump, they need him.He is an experienced fast bowler and is one of the best in the world. He is unique. I take keen interest in Jasprit and the way he goes. The recent Australia-India Test series showed how important he is to India. If you take Bumrah out of that series, it could have been very one-sided. If he had been fit enough to bowl in the second innings of the last Test (Sydney), you never know. To play five Tests in a row is a massive ask and you have to look after him.The stats say that. Without a doubt, he was unplayable sometimes. It looked like he would get a wicket every over. I would not have minded playing on those pitches.They were the team to beat and they played well. Virat Kohli came back to form, as did the other guys. Australia had their chances in the semifinal, obviously we had a few of our bowlers who were out. The pitches took spin and India played well.It is the way it is. India does not travel to Pakistan anymore. There was only one other thing — the matches had to be played in Dubai. You have to give credit to India, they played to the conditions. They know how to play on spinning tracks. I do not think that they had an unfair advantage. It is like saying there is an unfair advantage if India play all their matches in India, if Australia play all their matches in Australia.Their IPL and T20 cricket has had a positive impact on one-day cricket. India are confident and they know their game well. It is important to protect Test cricket, but ODIs and World Cups are very important as well. India know the ODI game very well. It is a challenge for other teams to come over to India and play well. I like them to be challenged, but India are a quality team.They have quality players, there is no doubt about it. Test cricket needs India to be strong. They have got the batting lineup and the bowlers. They just need to make sure that their second-tier bowlers, who bowl around Bumrah, have the quality.

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