‘Resting alone is not workload management’ – Aakash Chopra on Gurnoor Brar playing all formats

‘Resting alone is not workload management’ – Gurnoor Brar ke sabhi formats khelne par bole Aakash Chopra (Source: BCCI)

26-saal ke right-arm fast bowler Gurnoor Brar ne 13 June, 2026 ko Afghanistan ke khilaaf apna ODI debut kiya tha aur us series mein unhone 7 wickets chatkaye the. Halanki, is pacer ne abhi tak Tests mein India ko represent nahi kiya hai aur na hi koi T20I khela hai. Ab tak unhone 6 ODIs mein 6.96 ki economy rate se 11 wickets liye hain. Haal hi mein khatam hui Sri Lanka ke khilaaf do matches ki Test series mein, jise India ne 1-0 se jeeta, Brar dono mein se kisi bhi game ka hissa nahi the, kyunki selectors ne Mohammed Siraj aur Prasidh Krishna ko baatoor do seamers tarjeeh (preference) di thi.

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra ne Brar ko sirf Tests ke liye reserve rakhne ki approach par sawaal uthaye hain, aur iske liye unhone Test cricket ke sporadic (rukk-rukk kar hone wale) nature ka hawala diya hai. Chopra ne note kiya ki ek Test series abhi August mein khatam hui hai aur agli series November mein scheduled hai, jiske baad January mein ek aur series hogi. Chopra ne is young bowler ke selection aur workload management strategy par apne vichar vyakt kiye hain.

Chopra ne Test assignments ke beech ke gaps aur ek young bowler ke development aur opportunities par uske impact ko analyse kiya. Unhone chinta jatayi ki kya Brar ko sirf Tests tak hi limited rakhna player ke long-term interest mein hoga, khaskar tab jab international calendar mein Test cricket itna kam-kam hota hai. Former Indian cricketer ne aane wale ODI World Cup aur us tournament mein pace bowlers ki zaroorat ko bhi dhyan mein rakha.

‘Yeh ek achha thought hai, lekin kya yeh sahi thought hai? Yeh sawaal bilkul khada hoga kyunki Test cricket bahut rukk-rukk kar hota hai. Ek series abhi August mein khatam hui hai, aur phir aapko November mein Test series dekhne ko milegi. Uske baad, agli Test series aapko January ke end mein dekhne ko milegi,’ Chopra ne apne YouTube channel par kaha.

‘Yeh itna rukk-rukk kar hota hai ki aap sochte hain ki kya aap unhe sirf yahi khilayenge. Agar aap unhe sirf yahi khilane wale hain, toh yeh kaise kaam karega? Aapke dimaag mein yeh bhi chal raha hai ki ODI World Cup aane wala hai. South Africa mein hone wale ODI World Cup mein humein pace aur bounce ki zaroorat ho sakti hai. Gurnoor Brar ek aise bowler hain jinhone abhi-abhi shuruat ki hai,’ unhone aage kaha.

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Chopra ne Brar ko multiple formats mein khilane ki wakaalat ki taaki unka development tezi se ho sake aur alag-alag conditions mein unki capabilities ko parkha ja sake. Former cricketer ne is baat par zor diya ki ek young bowler ko experience gain karne aur alag-alag match situations mein woh kaise respond karta hai, yeh samajhne ke liye lagatar opportunities ki zaroorat hoti hai. Chopra ke mutabik, yeh approach Brar ko bade tournaments aur international competition ke liye behtar tareeqe se tayar karegi.

‘Agar kisi ne abhi shuruat ki hai, toh aap use bahut saare mauke bhi dena chahte hain, taaki woh ODIs aur T20Is bhi khele, alag-alag conditions aur situations mein, kyunki aapko nahi pata ki woh kaise perform karega aur respond karega. Yeh chhote-chhote tests hain jo aap lagatar lena chahte hain, taaki jab tak World Cup aaye, tab tak humara player poori tarah tayar ho,’ Chopra ne kaha.

### Rest se aage nikal kar Workload Management ko phir se define karna

Chopra ne young bowlers ko sirf Tests tak limit rakhne ke traditional argument ko sweekar kiya, jo ki longevity aur injury prevention ke aas-paas ghumta hai. Halanki, unhone workload management ki conventional samajh ko challenge kiya, aur kaha ki yeh concept sirf players ko rest dene se khin aage hai. Chopra ke mutabik, active participation aur regular bowling ke zariye stamina build karna bhi ek young bowler ke development ko manage karne ke utne hi important components hain.

‘Aapko ise kai perspectives se dekhna hoga. Sabse tempting option yeh hai ki unhe sirf Tests khilayein taaki woh lambe samay tak khelein, zyada consistent aur reliable rahein aur injured na ho sakein. Halanki, mera manna hai ki agar aap young hain, toh workload management ka matlab sirf kisi ko na khilana nahi hota,’ Chopra ne kaha.

‘Workload management ka matlab kisi ko khilana bhi hota hai. Aapko bas lagatar overs phenkne ki zaroorat hoti hai. Stamina build kijiye. Aapko woh kaam bhi karna hoga. Kai baar humein lagta hai ki kisi ko na khilana aur unhe rest dena hi workload management hai. Sirf rest dena hi workload management nahi hai. Mujhe lagta hai ki unhe khelne ki ijaazat honi chahiye. Unhe thoda manage kijiye, lekin sabhi formats mein khilayein,’ unhone aage kaha.