T20 World Cup 2021 | Jasprit Bumrah only X-factor in India's bowling line-up, says Irfan Pathan

Jasprit Bumrah bowled four over in India's first warm-up game ahead of Pakistan clash, on Monady, and conceded 26 runs for one wicket. He took the prized wicket of Jinny Bairstow who played a brisk 36-ball 49-run knock at the ICC Academy Ground in Dubai. 

"When we talk about Varun Chakravarthy, it's clear that he will do really well because he has mystery and also is in top form," Irfan Pathan said on the Star Sports show Follow the Blues.

"But according to me in terms of bowling, there is only one X factor and that is Bumrah. There can't be a bigger X factor than Bumrah in any other team," he added.

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir also supported former teammate Pathan's statement, saying, "Reckon that KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Varun Chakravarthy and probably an X factor, which will be Jasprit Bumrah.”

Gambhir, part of Indian team which won the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007, stated two reasons as to why Virat Kohli's men should aim to lift the trophy in seventh edition of the ICC tournament. 

“All he would be looking for is to win the T20 competition and I'm sure that the entire team will be looking to do that as well because it's been a long 14 years of wait. I'm sure that it's not only about Virat Kohli's going to be captaining India for the last time in the T20 format, it's about just winning the tournament and him winning as captain will be icing on the cake.”