Jasprit Bumrah is India’s most important player, team needs to look after him, says Irfan Pathan
Irfan Pathan believes Jasprit Bumrah is the most important member of the Indian team and has suggested that the team management needs to take special care of him. Irfan reckons that his maiden hat-trick against the West Indies, in the first innings of the second Test, won't be his last.
Coming back from a period of rest – during the first two legs of the West Indies tour – Bumrah picked up 13 wickets from the two Test matches, including a brilliant hat-trick. Bumrah’s heroics with the Dukes ball in the Caribbean guided India to a 2-0 series whitewash of the Windies, propelling the Men in Blue to top of the ICC World Test Championship table with 120 points.
"I really believe that he is the most important cricketer in the team. When Bumrah is not playing for India, it's a bigger loss than anybody else. He is such an important part of the team. Indian cricket is blessed to have a guy like him," Irfan told IANS, reported TOI.
"India needs to look after him. He is the kind of bowler who can be successful in all three formats of the game. I am pretty sure that this won't be his last hat-trick," he said.
Rated as one of the best in the world across formats, the 25-year old joined Harbhajan Singh and Pathan as only the third Indian to have claimed a hat-trick in Test cricket. Pathan rocked the world and the Pakistan batting lineup in a first over blitz in Karachi, way back in 2006.
"It is an out-of-the-world feeling. You know that it doesn't happen regularly. Some players don't get to take a hat-trick in their career. Once you do that, you have achieved something rare," Irfan added.
The 34-year-old now does TV commentary besides being the mentor-cum-coach of the Jammu and Kashmir team.
