Former New Zealand cricket team fast bowler Simon Doull believes that Australia have come up with a ‘clever’ plan to counter Jasprit Bumrah during the Border-Gavaskar Test series. In a recent discussion on JioCinema, Doull pointed out that Bumrah will be the ‘biggest threat’ for Australia in the series and he thinks that the hosts are trying to ‘cook’ him with the scheduling. According to the ex-NZ star, Australia will tire out Bumrah with the first Test taking place in the ‘heat’ of Perth followed up by the pink-ball Test in Adelaide – something that may force India to rest him in the middle of the series.

“What Australia have done smartly is scheduling. They know that while batters are going to be key in some shape or form, their biggest threat is Jasprit Bumrah. So they have gone with the three hardest and fastest surfaces, plus the Pink-Ball Test. They are trying to cook Bumrah. They will cook him in the heat of Perth, where he will have to bowl a lot of overs. Then he is going to have to go and bowl a lot of overs in that second pink-ball Test match in Adelaide. And then you’ve got to go to Brisbane where generally, first up, the seamers are quite good as well,” he said.

“So we’re going to cook Bumrah in the first two, three Test matches, make sure he bowls a lot of overs. And then they’re going to have to make a change. They’re going to have to go to someone else. So I think the scheduling from Australia’s point of view has been quite smart because very rarely do they start a series in Perth,” the former New Zealand fast bowler added.

Meanwhile, Sunil Gavaskar on Monday said that if India captain Rohit Sharma is not playing in the first Test against Australia in the upcoming marquee series, then Jasprit Bumrah should lead the side for the entire tour Down Under.

He said Rohit, whenever he comes in, should participate in the series only as a player.

The Australia tour for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy begins on November 22 in Perth, and Rohit is likely to miss the first match as his wife is expecting their second child. He is expected to join the team from the second game of the series.

Rohit is, however, not sure about the schedule yet.

In the absence of Rohit, Bumrah is likely to captain the team in Perth.

“It is important for the captain to play the first Test match. It’s different if he is injured, but if he is not available, then the deputy leader will be under a lot of pressure,” Gavaskar said on Sports Tak.

“I have been reading that Rohit Sharma might not play the first two Tests of the Australia series. I feel that, in that case the selection committee should appoint Jasprit Bumrah the captain of the side for the entire Australia tour, and tell Rohit Sharma that you will participate as a player in this series. For the first Test match, Rohit Sharma has to be there.”

(With PTI inputs)