Shane Bond, former New Zealand pacer has backed Jasprit Bumrah who will spearhead Indian pace attack to hit peak form during the four-match Test series.
Jasprit Bumrah will feature in his first-ever day-night Test from December 17 in Adelaide after missing India’s first and only pink ball day-night Test against Bangladesh in 2019 for injury layoff.
Shane Bond: Jasprit Bumrah Can Be A Handful In Twilight Period
Jasprit Bumrah is yet to play a pink-ball Test match but the Indian pacer is always looking forward to excelling his best performance, according to former Kiwi pacer Shane Bond. Jasprit Bumrah can be a handful and difficult to tackle if he is given the pink ball in the much-talked-about twilight period, his Mumbai Indians mentor believes.
Shane Bond believes that Jasprit Bumrah’s ball will be difficult to pick during the twilight hours since the pacer generates rapid pace and has an unorthodox bowling action. He has played only 14 Tests till date but has already picked 68 wickets averaging 20.34.
Jasprit Bumrah has not played a pink-ball Test but the young India pacer will be looking to work his magic with the pink ball as well. It will be the first time Jasprit Bumrah will be bowling in Tests to Australia’s batting mainstay Steve Smith, who is expected to score runs for injury-hit Australia.
“Booms [Bumrah] has been out here before and been very successful but he’s still interested in different ways to do things. That’s one of his greatest strengths,” Shane Bond told AAP.
“If he has the ball at the right time of night and it’s reasonably new then he can banana it both ways at 145k plus and do all sorts of damage.”
Shane Bond, who is currently working with the Sydney Thunder in the ongoing Big Bash League season, is wary of Jasprit Bumrah’s moderate start to the Australian tour. However, he backs the Mumbai Indians pacer to come good in the 4-Test series.
Shane Bond: Jasprit Bumrah Takes Pride In His Performance And Can Be A Real Handful Despite ODI Series Failure
Jasprit Bumrah struggled with the white-ball in the ODI series, picking up 4 wickets across 3 matches averaging a high 48.75. However, there were signs of gradual improvement as Jasprit Bumrah troubled the Australia A batsmen in the pink-ball warm-up held at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) last week picking up 2 scalps in first innings.
“He takes a great deal of pride in his performance and I know he’ll be annoyed he hasn’t quite got the results so far that he’s wanted. The wickets were pretty flat in the ODI series to be fair.”
“I’m sure the tour is going to get better for Booms … he’ll be a real handful and is the sort of bowler who can very quickly change a game if he gets it right.”
India will begin the much-anticipated 4-Test series in Australia with the day-night fixture in Adelaide from December 17. Virat Kohli will lead India for only the first Test on this tour missing last three Tests.
Australia have featured and won all of their 7 pink-ball Tests but are facing India for the first time in a day-night encounter. All eyes will be on the sunset period in Adelaide as the pink ball is expected to do a bit more than normal during twilight.
The trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma troubled Australia during their last trip Down Under in 2018-19 where India emerged victorious for the first time in Australia. While Ishant Sharma misses out with an injury this time around, India still have a lethal attack to trouble Tim Paine’s men.