IND vs NZ | Jasprit Bumrah means business when bowls on-demand yorkers, admits Harsha Bhogle

A long lay-off due to a back injury, concerns were surrounding Jasprit Bumrah’s comeback into the national team. After a slow start in the T20I series against Sri Lanka and the ODI series against Australia, Bumrah was back at his best delivering for India. The 26-year-old was back to what he does the best, bowling pin-point yorkers crushing the toes of the batsmen. 

In the fifth T20I against New Zealand, Bumrah was back for his second spell after bowling a maiden in the opener. In his comeback spell, the right-arm pacer delivered an inch-perfect yorker dismissing the Kiwi batsman Daryl Mitchell. He followed it up with another yorker sealing the game for India with the wicket of Tim Southee. The series of events led to Harsha Bhogle commenting that the bowler was back at his best. 

“How good was his yorker against Daryl Mitchell. Another yorker to get Tim Southee, the one who could have got New Zealand over the line after Ross Taylor. How do you know that Bumrah is back in business? When he is bowling the yorkers on-demand,“ said Bhogle, in the post-match show with Cricbuzz. 

Additionally, the 58-year-old commentator revealed the plan that the Indian team must employ to get the most potent use from Bumrah. He suggested that India should give him one over in the powerplay before utilising his three for the back end of the T20 game, where batsmen are looking to punish bowlers. In the past, this ploy has been heavily used by Mumbai Indians with Lasith Malinga with grand success. 

“If you have Bumrah in your team, you need someone to bowl in the powerplays be it Mumbai Indians or India. Bumrah is becoming exactly like Malinga, bowling one in the powerplay before his final spell towards the death overs. You have got so much left in the reserve,” he added.