Former Indian all-rounder Reetinder Singh Sodhi believes if Jasprit Bumrah doesn’t get fit for the T20 World Cup then it will be a major disappointment for the Indian team. Bumrah is going to hold the key for the Indian team as he has been doing a fine job over the years.
The fast bowler was ruled out of the upcoming Asia Cup due to a back injury and he will begin his rehab at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. Bumrah is well known for his accurate death bowling as he can breathe down the neck of the opposition batters with his nagging length.
Bumrah has scalped 69 wickets in 58 T20I matches and he has bowled with an impressive economy rate of 6.46 in the shortest format of the game.
Reetinder Singh Sodhi said while talking to India News Sports, “Jasprit Bumrah’s absence will be a big setback for India. The likes of Avesh Khan, Mohammed Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna have done well. However, to fill the shoes of Jasprit Bumrah, and that too for the T20 World Cup, will be very challenging.
“It will be a disappointment if he doesn’t get fit for the [T20] World Cup. His four overs are crucial as the opposition batters don’t look to take chances against him.”
Meanwhile, Bumrah still has a lot of time to recover from his injury and he should be fine to take part in the T20 World Cup. However, if he doesn’t recover in time then it will be a major blow for the Indian team as he is the team’s pack leader.
On the other hand, Bhuvneshwar Kumar will lead the pace attack in the Asia Cup and he will get the support of Arshdeep Singh and Avesh Khan.
Meanwhile, India has been giving opportunities to many young players in order to prepare them for the big matches. Saba Karim, the former Indian selector, feels India is preparing in a manner as they know Bumrah might not be available in the future.
“Jasprit Bumrah has been an impactful player for India across formats. But it seems that India has kept in mind that Bumrah may not be available in the future and has prepared accordingly.
“This is why we see so many new faces in the side. The management has given them consistent opportunities to find an option for Bumrah’s replacement. But with that said, India will surely miss Bumrah as he has been a top performer in white-ball cricket.”
India will begin their T20 World Cup campaign against Pakistan at the MCG.
