Former Indian selector Saba Karim feels that Indian skipper Jasprit Bumrah will be in the spotlight during the three-match T20 series against Ireland starting here on Friday, as he feels that the Indian speedster will understand his body better returning from injury going into the all-important Asia Cup 2023.
After having back surgery in March of this year, the seamer undertook a protracted rehabilitation process at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) before returning to the team for the Ireland series. The 29-year-old has not played any form of competitive match since September 2022 and his experience will be handy for Indian cricket in the three-match series.
Speaking on Jiocinema, Saba Karim feels that the captaincy duty won’t bother the Indian speedster too much, as it would help him to understand his body better going into the mega events and said that he can bowl in any phase of the game including the powerplay and the death overs and asserted that he can contribute to the team’s success in three-match series against Ireland using his vast experience in T20 cricket.
“In the T20I format, the leadership duties won’t add more burden on him. I think it will help him understand his body better, which is the direction I am seeing it from. He would know how many spells he will bowl with the new ball and with India playing three T20 games, he can bowl in any phase of the game.
“Maybe he can bowl one over in the start, then one over in the middle, and a couple of overs in the back end of the innings. He can do all of that as a captain. Instead of seeing it as pressure, I feel it is an area where Bumrah can contribute and with his experience of playing for a long time, he can use it to understand his body better as a leader, which is the way I am looking at it,” Saba Karim said.
The right-arm pacer has been India’s best bowler across all three formats since his debut for the Men in Blue in International Cricket. The Indian team selectors and management are extremely cautious with the fitness of the Indian speedster, as his form and fitness will be crucial for the Indian team going into the World Cup later this year.
I Am Happy To See That The Selectors Have Chosen Players From The IPL – Saba Karim
Saba Karim is excited to see the IPL players getting a chance in the Ireland series concerning their performance in the cash-rich league as he is happy to see young Rinku Singh and Jitesh Sharma get the opportunity to play for the team in the Ireland series.
“I am happy to see that the selectors have chosen players from the IPL, especially the ones who have done reasonably well in the last two seasons, which is why Rinku Singh and Jitesh Sharma have been brought into the side,” Saba Karim added.
Top performers in this edition of the Indian Premier League got the call-up for the Indian side for the Ireland tour. The youngsters Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma, and Tilak Varma have done exceptionally well for their side in the cash-rich league and will look to prove their worth for the Men in Blue in the highest level.