Jasprit Bumrah is a very good bowler, but he alone cannot help India win the T20 World Cup 2024 and the rest of the pacers and spinners need to step up, claimed legendary Australia pacer Glenn McGrath.
Jasprit Bumrah is one bowler who will almost certainly appear in all of the games. The India pace spearhead is preparing to play his third T20 World Cup, having missed the previous one in Australia due to injury. And if India is to go all the way, a large part of that will depend on how Bumrah performs with the new ball.
Glenn McGrath, the former Australian quick, is regarded as one of the most complete fast bowlers in history. So, when something comes from you, it should be serious. McGrath predicted Mitchell Starc of Australia and Bumrah of India to play important roles in their teams’ chances, but he also posed a valid point.
Who, besides Bumrah? India has Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh as the other two frontline pacers in their 15-man squad, along with Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube, but McGrath believes one of them will have to step up to relieve Bumrah’s workload.
“We saw Starc at the end of the IPL. He came into his own, which was good to see. Bumrah just seems to be the one bowler that batters find it hard, even in T20s, to get on top of.
“So, I think if Australia is to win this World Cup, Starc has to bowl well. A lot of it relies on him. And Bumrah for India, but then it is who’s going to take wickets around Bumrah and who’s going to bowl well around him,” McGrath said at the MRF Pace Foundation ground.
In the absence of Bumrah in the 2022 T20 World Cup. Mohammad Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Arshdeep Singh led the pace bowling attack.
Glenn McGrath advises India to open the bowling with Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh
Glenn McGrath also said that India must go with the left- and right-hand pace combination of Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah. Arshdeep has always been more of a T20 bowler; therefore, he has stepped right back into contention. Siraj’s high economy rate may allow Arshdeep to overtake him as Bumrah’s new ball partner, but whichever it is, he must fire on all cylinders.
“You got Jasprit Bumrah. He showed just how good he is throughout the IPL (he picked 20 wickets from 13 matches for Mumbai Indians). But it is like having a left-right opening combination for batters. It also depends on how they are bowling.
“In T20s, you do not have much time to be ready. If you take an over or two to warm up, the game is already over. If you have got a good opening-bowling combination, that is where you are going to win matches,” Aussie legend said.
India will open its T20 World Cup campaign against Ireland in New York on June 5, 2024.