Jasprit Bumrah brushed aside questions about workload management on Friday, insisting he "tries to take care of his body" and saying those "questions were not my questions".
On a dry pitch that saw India field four spinners for the first time since 2012, it was Bumrah who dominated, taking 5/27, his third five-wicket haul at home and 16th overall, as South Africa crumbled for 159 in just 55 overs on day one.
Critics have questioned Bumrah's commitment after he missed the final day of the Sydney Test due to a back spasm and was rested for two Tests in England.
"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 at the press conference.
Bumrah has been playing non-stop since England, moving from the Asia Cup T20Is to Tests against West Indies and then to T20Is in Australia, though he 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."
Even on a pitch favouring spinners, Bumrah’s haul 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 blamed the conditions for their collapse.
"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 approach needed on Eden's unpredictable 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."
He also explained how he assessed the conditions early in his spell.
"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."
