Bharath Ramaraj
After a while, it seemed difficult to keep track of every Jasprit Bumrah achievement or his jaw-dropping offerings. Over a period of time, he has blended savagery with skill and surgical precision to befuddle many a batter. Bumrah is that complete fast bowler who can seamlessly don different roles in all three formats of the game. That is in brief about Bumrah’s all-round skill set.
However, his unorthodox biomechanics are such that they could also lead to injuries. The fast bowler has already suffered a few back issues. And one more stress fracture of the back could even bring the curtain down on his career. No wonder, ever since Bumrah’s latest tryst with a back injury, the Indian think tank have tried to manage his workload. So much so that Bumrah only played three out of five Tests in England.
Despite his recent injury worries, Bumrah is still taking wickets; seven scalps at 19.28 in the Asia Cup and seven wickets at 20.29 in the Test series against West Indies. But peel away the exterior, and you will observe a substantial portion of them were of lower-order batters – Only one out of his seven wickets against West Indies was that of a top-six batter.
In the preceding Asia Cup, it felt like Bumrah was muscling through the crease even more than before. To add more credence to the point, just check how he ended up bowling four full tosses in the second India-Pakistan encounter of that Asia Cup – an indicator that he was somewhat struggling for rhythm. Even in the final of the Asia Cup, before picking up the last two scalps to fall, he was clearly not on top of his game.
Despite a few concerns, here is one bowler who can make an impact without looking anywhere near his best. Just transport yourself back to the net sessions in the Asia Cup – Even while bowling from a few steps, he ended up beating the bat of Abhishek Sharma on a few occasions. Maybe it is due to the amount of backspin that he is able to impart. It could also be a result of his hyperextension. Whatever the case, Bumrah seems to chisel out a way on his bad days.
All of Bumrah’s skills will once again be put to test in the upcoming five-match T20I series between Australia and India. Unlike the just concluded ODI series in Australia, one can expect some flat tracks, especially at venues in Canberra and the Gold Coast. And Australia have enough power-hitters in their ranks. Can Bumrah dispel a few doubts about him having lost a hint of nip? Logic says it’s best not to bet against a champion cricketer.
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