Ind vs Eng: Reasons why Jasprit Bumrah should not be dropped from the Playing XI in the upcoming Test Series
The Indian pace bowlers were not at their best in the recently concluded World Test Championship final against New Zealand. They had favorable conditions on offer at Southampton, but failed to exploit them sufficiently. The pace trio of Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah were unable to pick up a single Kiwi wicket in 45 overs of play in the second innings.
The most disappointing performance came from Bumrah, who was ineffective in both innings and struggled to swing the ball. As a result he went wicketless in the match.
With a five-match Test series against England coming up in a month's time, there is talk of replacing Bumrah with Mohammad Siraj, who has had an excellent start to his test career. However, Bumrah will not be an easy player to replace.
The Mumbai Indians pacer has been India's number 1 bowler in all three formats of the game over the last few years. He also possesses an excellent overall Test record thus far. Although his numbers have significantly dropped in his last few Tests, he has also been successful in English conditions previously.
Bumrah's Test Record:
Matches: 20 | Wickets: 83 | Average: 23.20 | 5wk Hauls: 5 | BB: 6/27
In this article, we take a look at why Bumrah is an integral part of the Indian Test bowling lineup and should not be dropped from the playing XI against England.
#1 Bumrah's Ability to Clean up the Tailenders
Jasprit Bumrah is one of the best executers of the yorker, which often proves to be the most lethal delivery for any tailender. As a result, he has a very good record against lower-order batsmen and often gets them out cheaply.
This skill makes him a very important member of the Indian bowling unit, as no other Indian pacer has troubled tailenders consistently.
The Indian bowlers were able to get the English top order out cheaply in the last series in England. But the lower order batsmen frustrated them repeatedly and took the games away from India's grasp.
India would not want something similar to happen this time round and Bumrah can definitely ensure that. So, despite his lackluster performance in the WTC final, the right-arm quick should be given another opportunity, as his presence gives India a better chance of clearing up the tail.
#2 Bumrah's ability to hit the deck hard
Jasprit Bumrah is a bowler who often hits the deck hard. As a result, he is able to get the ball rise steeply from the good length area, causing tremendous problems for any batsman. Bumrah's deliveries create indecisiveness within batsmen's minds as they are unsure of whether to come on the front foot or stay back.
The 27-year-old also bowls at a very brisk pace, which makes his steep deliveries all the more difficult to handle.
Bumrah's versitality also makes him a very good bowler with the old ball. As a result, he isn't heavily dependent on the new ball for his wickets.
Thus, Bumrah has often been viewed as the go-to bowler for any captain in difficult conditions. Regardless of whether the pitch is flat or if the opposition have built a good partnership, he can be called upon to bowl unconventional spells and pick up wickets in a variety of ways.
His versatility and ability to hit the deck hard makes Bumrah a very important member of the Indian pace attack in any playing condition.