I try to take care of my body: Bumrah brushes aside fitness talk after fiery fifer

Kolkata, Nov 14 (PTI) Back to his incisive best, Jasprit Bumrah on Friday brushed aside the chatter around his workload management insisting that he "tries to take care of his body" and said those "questions were not my questions".

On a dry pitch that prompted India to pick four spinners for the first time since 2012, it was Bumrah who grabbed 5/27, his only third fifer at home, and 16th overall, as South Africa folded for 159 in just 55 overs on the opening day.

There has been intense scrutiny over Bumrah in "picking" matches for his workload management post England summer test series.

He could not bowl in the Sydney Test against Australia when he was sidelined from bowling on the final day due to a back spasm then in England he was rested for two Tests -- second and fifth that India won -- fuelling critics questioning his commitment.

"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," Bumrah said at the press conference.

A multi-format player, Bumrah has been playing continuously since England as he played in the triumphant Asia Cup T20Is, then switched to Tests against West Indies last month, before playing T20Is in Australia in the last series. He however was rested for the ODI leg there.

"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." With spinners traditionally ruling home conditions, Bumrah acknowledged how special such hauls are in India.

"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." The pitch helped the pacers the most with its uneven bounce as South Africa batting coach Ashwell Prince blamed their debacle on the conditions.

"We went to South Africa and in five sessions the Test match was over (Cape Town Test in 2024). So it's never a simple answer that this is how the wicket should be.

"This is the challenge of Test cricket. We go to England, the atmosphere is different. We go to Australia, the challenge is different. So we have to adapt.

"It is our job to adapt. That's the beauty of Test cricket -- different conditions, different skills. You must have a lot more skills in your armoury to succeed." Bumrah broke down the tactical mindset required on a lively yet punishing Eden track.

"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. There is a bit of help from the wicket, but you'll have to be patient here." Figuring out the right length is the key at the Eden as Bumrah said it needed him some overs initially to assess the conditions properly.

"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." PTI TAP AT AT AT