If there is one bowler who is equally effective across formats in the current generation, then that’s the premier Indian fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, who any comfortably question the quality of the batter with his incredible skill in the game. He marked his return to the game since the end of the victorious campaign in the T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and the United States of America (USA).
There were a few reports which demonstrated that the India team could look to extend the break of Jasprit Bumrah by not putting his name for the Bangladesh series and may look to play him for one or two games against New Zealand before their five-match red-ball series in Australia.
The important part of the scenario is to keep him fresh for those five Tests towards the end of the year, but it also means the selectors will be keen to give him a break during the home T20I series against England before they play the Champions Trophy 2025 in February.
“Jasprit Bumrah doesn’t have any weakness”- Sanjay Manjrekar
The former Indian batter, Sanjay Manjrekar, feels that the premier Indian pacer doesn’t have any shortage in him and comes up with sheer quality and skill in the game. The bowler showed how, despite having no such match practice for the last couple of months, he could explore the conditions and the opponent’s side quite quickly.
In the very first of the two-match series against Bangladesh at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, he showed his skills with the ball in the first innings. The delivery that disturbed the stumps of left-handed Shadman Islam felt like such an easy ball to leave, but it wasn’t because of the way Jasprit Bumrah set him for that particular delivery.
The one he bowled to the experienced wicket-keeper batter, Mushfiqur Rahim, was a straight ball that shaped out a little to take the edge of the batter and died into the hands of the slip corridor.
Taskin Ahmed made a huge mistake by smashing the Gujarat-born for a four in the third-man area. No fast bowler loves to be nailed by a tailender, irrespective of the format they would be playing. The toe-crashing fiery yorker ended the 11-run stay of the Bangladesh number 10 to help the pacer celebrate his four wickets in 11 overs.
With that scalp, Jasprit Bumrah becomes the sixth pacer from the Blue Brigade to collect 400 international wickets. He currently stands with 401 scalps in 228 innings at an average of 21.04 and an economy rate of under four with the help of 12 five-wicket hauls.
In the list of most wickets for India, he is currently in tenth position, under Ishant Sharma (434), as Anil Kumble leads the ladder with 953 wickets in 401 games.
Manjrekar highlighted the all-rounder’s abilities and the sharp cricketing mindset of the Indian pacer as he was discussing ESPNcricinfo at the end of the second day’s play in Chennai.
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“We all know about his variations, his thinking; one of the sharpest thinking fast bowlers. We saw a certain amount of meanness as well in the way he bowled to Taskin (Ahmed).” The veteran noted about Jasprit Bumrah. “But, the one thing that came through today was that he is a bowler without a weakness; whatever the opposition, pitch conditions, and that’s the best way to judge greatness.”
The Indian selectors may look to give him a break for the second game of the series at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur.