IND vs NZ | Jasprit Bumrah’s withering form in ODIs is worrisome, opines VVS Laxman

It’s been a rough comeback to cricket post the lower-back stress fracture for India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who has often struggled with line, length and rhythm. Bumrah, in the five ODIs post his return, has managed to pick up just one wicket, and the tearaway quick went wicketless in the first two ODIs against the Kiwis and was negated with ease by the hosts.

Legendary Indian cricketer VVS Laxman feels that the withering form of Bumrah in the ODI format is a cause of concern for team India and went on to point out that the speedster’s line and length has been awry throughout the entirety of the tour.

"It must be a cause for concern for India that Jasprit Bumrah, Virat Kohli's go-to bowler whenever he has needed breakthroughs, has been short of wickets all tour,” Laxman was quoted as saying by Times of India.

“Additionally, his lengths too haven't been spot-on, which means he hasn't been able to impose usual pressure. Of course, New Zealand's batsmen have played him well, with Taylor in the forefront.”

After being reduced to 197-8 at one stage, it looked like the Kiwis were going to fold for a total well below par in Auckland, but Ross Taylor - who’d scored a match-winning ton in the first ODI - came to hosts’ rescue again, as his unbeaten 73 propelled them to a score of 273. Laxman feels that Taylor’s knock played a huge part in turning the game around in New Zealand’s favour and went on to describe the veteran Kiwi as a ‘class act’. 

"Once again, Ross Taylor showed what a class act he is, batting through the innings after India clawed their way back in the middle stages. Martin Guptill played an excellent hand, but until debutant Kyle Jamieson joined him, Taylor was waging a lone battle.

“At one stage, it looked as if New Zealand might have to settle for 220 or thereabouts, but through sensible batting, they reached a total which gave their bowlers something to fight with.”

The biggest moment of the match, arguably, came in the 10th over of the India innings, when Tim Southee knocked over Indian’s talisman Virat Kohli to punch a hole through the visitors’ heart. The dismissal was Kohli was a plan laid out to perfection by the Kiwis, who initially kept taking the ball away from the right-hander before firing a few deliveries in to catch the Indian skipper off-guard. The 45-year-old believes that Kohli’s dismissal is a testament to the Kiwis’ smartness and lauded New Zealand for sticking to their plans. 

“Tim Southee's dismissal of Virat was an example of New Zealand's smartness in working out and sticking to game plans. Even though he was physically suffering, Southee kept at it. He set Virat up with a series of away swingers, then brought one back in to sneak it through the gate, a fantastic piece of bowling."