Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri believes Jasprit Bumrah’s form is not a concern at all.
Bumrah hasn’t been at his usual best in the ongoing season of the Indian Premier League 2022 while playing for five-time champions Mumbai Indians.
The gun fast bowler has taken only five wickets in 10 matches at an average of 60.80 and an economy rate of 7.93. Thus, the ace paceman has failed to deliver the goods for the Rohit Sharma-led team and it has led to their downfall in the ongoing season.
MI could not win even a solitary match in their first eight matches as they weren’t able to come up with a collective effort.
Ravi Shastri told ESPNcricinfo: “Jasprit Bumrah’s form is not a concern at all. It’s just that oppositions have played him differently. They don’t want to give him wickets. If the team’s situation is good then the opposition will take the chance against it. So Bumrah is stuck because of this, there’s no issue of ability whatsoever.”
On the other hand, Tim David has impressed with his pyrotechnics while batting in the death overs. David had added the finishing touches against Gujarat Titans in the previous game as he had scored 44 runs from 21 balls. Shastri added that Tim David could be the future for Mumbai Indians.
“I believe they were searching for the right balance (when they dropped him after two matches) and Pollard was already there. Now, mid-tournament, he has announced his retirement from international cricket so Tim David could be the future. What he needed was confidence that ‘I belong to this stage. I can be a finisher in the IPL for Mumbai Indians and can hit sixes.’ The sixes he hit in the last two matches would have taken his confidence up. I feel Mumbai will use him this way only – as a finisher towards the end of the innings.”
Mumbai is out of the playoff race as they have managed only two wins in their 10 matches. However, they will look to end their season on a high by winning the last four games. Mumbai will take on Kolkata Knight Riders on Monday at the DY Patil Sports Academy.
