Jasprit Bumrah was the player of the tournament in last year’s T20 World Cup, having taken 15 wickets at an economy better than nearly everyone on the list. But there is a gulf between that Bumrah and the one bowling for India in the Asia Cup currently, at least that’s what the numbers suggest. He has three wickets in as many games, having bowled eleven overs and conceded 8.36 runs in each over.
India’s management, however, isn’t worried about Bumrah’s lacklustre bowling. Interestingly, out of his eleven overs tally, nine were bowled in the power play, which means a good chunk of his spells came in at the time when batters are on a rampage.
“He’s doing a very tough task,” India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said on the eve of the Super Four game against Bangladesh. “You don’t see many bowlers in this format bowling all three overs in the powerplay. So it’s quite strenuous as well. But we feel it’s the right amount of work going into the Test match [against West Indies] and obviously the importance of this competition as well.”
His numbers were largely worsened in the Super Four game against Pakistan, where he leaked 45 runs in four wicketless overs. This was his joint second-most expensive spell in T20Is, where he failed to get even a single scalp. But ten Doeschate said Bumrah is doing what he is required to do for the team’s plans.
“It wasn’t his most polished performance against Pakistan the other night,” ten Doeschate said. “But we also understand that he’s doing an exceptionally tough job to bowl the first three overs, the two [fielders] out, and the last over and the second last over, where guys are going as well.
“There’s going to be days where he doesn’t get wickets, and he’s going to go for runs. But in terms of how we set up the team, obviously with two seamers and going spin heavy, we feel at the moment that’s the best job.”
India got two points against Pakistan, and are at the top of the table with a good-looking NRR. They have two games remaining before the final, which they are highly likely to play as well. Keeping in view the caution surrounding Bumrah ever since his return from the injury as well as the fact that India have to play a Test match four days after the tournament ends, they were expected to give Bumrah a breather. However, ten Doeschate said they do not plan on benching him for the remainder of the tournament.
“It’s very unlikely that you [India] go into the last game knowing you’ve qualified,” ten Doeschate said. “So I’d say it’s unlikely that he’ll get a rest. Also bearing in mind we have a Test match starting on Thursday. So it’s actually quite good preparation in terms of workload management … So if we have the luxury to have that option [of resting Bumrah] in the last game, we can look at it. But I’d say we’re going to pick our best team for every game. He obviously fits into that picture.”
