IPL 2020 | Mumbai Indians have built a good bowling unit around Jasprit Bumrah, believes Mahela Jayawardene
Mahela Jayawardene believes that Mumbai Indians has built a good bowling unit around their star bowler Jasprit Bumrah ahead of the upcoming IPL season. Jayawardene also understands the importance of managing the workloads of Bumrah and Hardik Pandya, given their importance to the Indian team.
Since his debut in the 2013 edition — the year Mumbai won their first IPL title — Bumrah has not just gone on to become the pillar of the franchise’s attack, but has also become one of the leading bowlers in world cricket. With such a rise, there is pressure on the 26-year-old to deliver the goods every time he runs up to bowl. According to Jayawardene, the defending champions have managed to build a system that eases the pressure on Bumrah, especially with the addition of Trent Boult and Nathan Coulter-Nile.
“I mean, that is always going to happen, but we don’t put a lot of pressure on Jasprit, saying that he has to be (always there). We have created a very good bowling unit around him, and not taking pressure too much, he delivers,” Jayawardene said, reported Sportstar.
However, since a stunning display in the Caribbean earlier this year in national colours, Bumrah has been forced to the sidelines due to a stress fracture. Given Hardik — a crucial cog in Mumbai’s squad — is also recovering from injury, Jayawardene underlined the importance of managing the duo as they make their comebacks.
“It’s good. He has started training. He was in Visakhapatnam bowling to the Indian team at the nets. The MI staff is closely monitoring his progress. Hardik Pandya is (also) making good progress…we are quite happy, hopefully, they will play the Sri Lanka series, or maybe the Australia series. I am not sure how quickly they will come through. It depends on the medical staff, but as long as they are playing in January, February, it's fine,” he said.
“I guess more than for MI, they are more valuable to the Indian national team. It is important we manage all that. I am quite happy that everything is going right for us,” Jayawardene added.