India’s impeccable start to the tournament, with three consecutive victories, can largely be attributed to the 29-year-old paceman, who has claimed a staggering eight wickets at a meagre average of just over 10 runs each.Speaking ahead of India’s upcoming clash againstBangladesh in Pune, India’s bowling coach, Paras Mhambrey, couldn’t be more pleased with Bumrah’s contributions.
“What he brings to the table – he is a world-class bowler. He gives you that breakthrough that you require in the power-plays,” Mhambrey lauded. “He’s well adapted to bowl in the middle overs and he’s a top-gun ‘death’ bowler. I think in that sense, we really missed him.”
Mhambrey’s words underscore the impact that Bumrah has had on the team, serving as the catalyst for their early success in the tournament. With aspirations of clinching a third one-day international World Cup title, India aim to replicate their 2011 triumph on home soil.
As the tournament progresses, India appears to have no immediate plans for player rotation, meaning established performers such as seamer Mohammed Shami
and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin are likely to remain on the sidelines. Ashwin, in particular, has seen limited opportunities across all formats recently, even missing out on India’s World Test Championship final against Australia earlier this year.
Regarding Ashwin’s situation, Mhambrey shared, “He (Ashwin) has been a great lad. He understands that, he’s a great team guy. I’ve never seen him grumpy; I haven’t seen him complaining any time for any of the last few years that he’s been with us.”
(PTI Photo)
Mhambrey continued, “Even after so many years, I think he’s there, he wants to do well for the team, he turns up every practice session, goes through the rigorous grinds and he keeps bowling.”
However, Mhambrey also warned that the bowlers that do take the field for India would face a “challenging surface” in Pune. The small ground, coupled with the high altitude, is expected to lead to an increase in boundaries scored, providing an added test for the bowlers.
Looking ahead to the match against Bangladesh, Mhambrey expressed respect for the opposition and highlighted the quality of Bangladesh’s fast bowler Taskin Ahmed and the “champion” all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan. Mhambrey’s words reflect India’s approach of not underestimating any team in the World Cup, considering the recent upsets by Afghanistan and the Netherlands, underscoring the tournament’s unpredictable nature.
“When you enter a World Cup, every team will pose you a challenge,” Mhambrey concluded. “So, from our perspective, I don’t think we’ll take anyone (lightly). Bangladesh or the Netherlands, I think we want to treat those games as equally important.”
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As India continues their journey in the 2023 Cricket World Cup, the return of Jasprit Bumrah and the team’s unwavering determination indicate that they are serious contenders for the coveted title.
(With inputs from AFP)
