IPL 2020 | When Jasprit Bumrah does well, he is as good as Lasith Malinga, reckons Shaun Pollock
Shaun Pollock has stated that Jasprit Bumrah has become a more three-dimensional bowler like Lasith Malinga and the team is better placed with Bumrah performing regularly. Meanwhile, Pommie Mbangwa has added that Bumrah’s performance is also down to the support cast he has.
In the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League, Jasprit Bumrah hasn’t been as economical as he used to be in the previous editions, with him conceding 8.44 runs per over as compared to his overall IPL economy rate of 7.61, but the fact that he has made himself an all-round option with more overs in the middle-overs speaks for his genuine interest to do well for the team.
That he is doing this in the absence of Lasith Malinga is even more applaudable - the byproduct of which was on show against Kings XI Punjab last night in Dubai. Shaun Pollock was really impressed with the way Bumrah has evolved and while pointing out that his death bowling hasn’t been as remarkable as it used to be, the legendary fast bowler compared the Gujarat boy to Malinga, who used to do the tough job for the side.
“Bumrah has been such a big player for Mumbai Indians over the years and the thing about him was very much like what Malinga did for them for many years. He does perform in many different roles, you get him in the first six, he can pick wickets, you can use him in the middle overs if you are not getting a wicket and at the backend, he is really good,” Pollock said on Cricbuzz Live.
“It is a surprise this season that his backend bowling hasn’t been as good as we expect from him. He is three-dimensional and he can do different jobs. When he does well, he is the same as Malinga. When Malinga performs the way only he can, the teams are better placed more often than not and Bumrah is showing the same quality.”
While Bumrah has been terrific for Mumbai Indians in patches and off-colour in other moments, he has Trent Boult and James Pattinson to thank for the side winning two of their four matches. The Kiwi-Aussie duo have shared 11 wickets among each other to form a great pace-bowling combination. Commentator Pommie Mbangwa praised the duo for living up to the expectations and adding front-line pressure to the opposition batsmen.
“What is also important when you have someone like Bumrah, it is important to notice who is their back-up. With Bumrah, they have Boult and Pattinson. So even if he has an off-colour day, there is a back-up. And even if he used in the middle-overs, with Pattinson and Boult before him, you don’t have a choice,” Mbangwa said in the same show, replying to Pollock’s Malinga comparison.
“You can’t even play him out because that will take you further and further backwards in the game and it makes things more difficult. I think that has a role to play but we know he is a wonderful bowler. But having the support cast right him just fits well and augurs well for Mumbai Indians.”
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